Hindered Destiny
by MaraJade31
Summary: What led Imhotep and Ancksunamun to the actions they took in ancient Egypt?Was their love true,and were they really the evil monsters they seemed to be?And what was Nef's role and her lover Asim's,Rick,who was also Imy's closest friend? R&R!
1. Prologue: A New Chapter

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters; none are of my creation except for any of the characters that were not in the films! Also, any scenes or dialogue from the movies are not mine, they belong to Stephen Sommers and Universal, as do the characters. So leave the lawyers alone and enjoy!

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Rating: R (May change later)**

**Note to reader:** Anything that is in _**Italics**_ is being spoken in Egyptian. The Mummy and The Mummy Returns spoilers.

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Some Characters and Name Meanings that you might want to know:**

(Alphabetical Order)

Ahemait: Goddess of the Underworld, ate the unworthy souls of the dead. (Egyptian)

Anum: 5th Born (Egyptian)

Asim: Defender (Arabic)

Auset: Another name for Isis (Egyptian)

Dalila: Gentle (Egyptian)

Femi: Love (Egyptian)

Garai: Settled (Egyptian)

Hamadi: Praised (Egyptian)

Ife: Love (Egyptian)

Jahi: Dignified (Egyptian)

Jamila: Beauty (Egyptian)

Nailah: Successful (Egyptian)

Nuru: Light (Egyptian)

Olabisi: Brings Joy (Egyptian)

Safiya: Pure (Egyptian)

Sebek (or Sobek): Crocodile God of Evil (Egyptian)

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THE MUMMY

Destiny's Final Gamble

By Jennifer Wells

"3,000 years ago

In a place called the City of the Dead,

He was buried

Deep beneath the desert sands…

Entombed. Alive.

Never to be disturbed.

He will rise again."

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Prologue

"A New Chapter"

Temple of Heqet

Gesy, Egypt

1933

The moonlight glistened down upon the pools of an ancient temple hidden deep within the lands of Upper Egypt. The waters sparkled with a life almost of their very own in the cool summer's night. The temple itself was alone and forgotten. Scorpions scurried about the Earth in search of a midnight snack before the sun's rays would return for a new day's light. They formed tiny footprints in the desert's sands, as they crawled about in their ever-repeating nightly activities.

A figure moved swiftly through the shadows with a grace unlike any human could ever possess. It crept closer to the center of the temple, stealthily and without a sound. Above, a skylight let loose a ray of moonlight, shining down upon a lone human-sized statue, which stood before a single pool in the center of the room like a beacon. The statue was made of granite; the head was that of a frog, and the body of a woman. It was slightly eroded from the harsh centuries that had passed, but otherwise it was maintaining itself quite well.

The mysterious figure stopped before this statue, remaining just barely out of the light and began to speak in an ancient tongue…

_"Heqet, Goddess of the Temple of Gesy, we must speak."_

The mysterious figure stood by in silence, waiting for its response. Above, the light began dim. A cool wind swirled about inside the temple. The scorpions quickly scurried away in all directions in a panic to conceal themselves. And then, a new figure stepped out from behind the statue, and approached the first. The two remained hidden in the shadows, lingering in the dark.

"_Meskhenet?" _asked the second in much surprise quite audibly._ "What brings you out this way, and at this hour? It has been ages since last we spoke-"_

Meskhenet quickly brought a finger to her lips, signaling the other to lower her voice. Meskhenet's voice was grave and urgent as she spoke,

_"Heqet, I will answer all your questions in turn, but first, I have a favor to ask of you and it is of the utmost importance that I have your complete and total cooperation…and above all, Osiris must never know."_

Heqet's eyes became wide at this, their whites catching what little light of the moon still shown through from above. She hesitated a moment or two as she pondered what her friend could possibly mean by this. A slight grin sliced across her face and she leaned in closer, giving Meskhenet her full and undivided attention.

_"My lips are sealed."_

_"Dai yu." _"Good."


	2. Chapter One: Two Ships in the Night

**Chapter One**

"Two Ships in the Night"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1307 BC

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The day was hot, as it usually was within the Two Lands and the sun was relentless. Workers strived to meet their deadlines, sweating from the infernal heat, which beat down on their golden city of Thebes. Pharaoh Seti I had ordered that a new monument be constructed in his likeness before the entrance to his grand palace. The unfortunate workers could be seen lifting and pulling huge blocks of stone every which way by the hundreds. Many of them staggered from the ungodly heat, as well as from exhaustion, but somehow they managed to hold on to what little strength they still possessed, while others chiseled away pieces of the stone. 

A young boy followed closely behind his father through the halls of the palace, passing by the many ill-fated slaves, who labored below. Neither took any pity on these workers. It was common to see such a display and it was none of their concern what these men did, for their status was far greater than any common man's.

The elder, walked with silent determination, a serious air about him. He was somewhere within his early to mid thirties, but still managed to appear younger than he actually was. His duties were to his pharaoh and to the gods above and below, but mainly he was High Priest to Osiris, and keeper of the dead. He was tall, at least six feet in height and his head completely bald. His body was strong, golden skinned, and donned in a long, black robe with an ornamental necklace of a scarab beetle accompanying it. His son quickened his pace to catch up.

Imhotep was smaller than his father, but being only fourteen, he would no doubt eventually outgrow him, for he was already tall for his age. His head, also bald in the customary Egyptian tradition, glistened in the sun's rays, as he made his way through the halls, dressed in his black loincloth, which stopped just above his knees. He was slightly built, thin, and very handsome for his age. Many said he looked much like his father. In his hands, he carried the sacred scrolls needed for the daily ceremonies at the Temple of Osiris, located just outside the palace grounds. Imhotep helped his father out usually every day at the temple. It appeared that he was destined to follow in his father's footsteps; there could be no other obvious path for him to take.

The two of them carefully made their way down the many steps, which led out of the palace, taking them into the masses of commoners who roamed about the palace grounds. Amidst them, Imhotep saw his friend, Asim, leaning up against a wall all by himself with a look of sheer annoyance upon his face. This made Imhotep smirk, but just then his father groaned, interrupting his amusements.

_"Imhotep, wait here. I have an errand for which I have forgotten. I must go to pick up some more papyrus from my dear friend, Jahi. I will return shortly, My Son," _said Hamadi, as he quickly turned and headed back up the long staircase.

Now alone, Imhotep wasted no time and made his way over to Asim, relieved that he could actually have a few minutes of freedom.

Asim was a Med-jai warrior and a year older than he. He wore all black from head to toe and wielded a scimitar, among whatever other weapons lay beneath his flowing robes. He had long been a good friend of Imhotep's, even teaching him how to fight, though that fact had had to be kept secret from Imhotep's father. In his opinion, no son of his was going to partake in such a barbaric course of action.

_" Imhotep, " _Asim greeted his friend, somehow forcing a smile to come to his usual seriously clad face. "_It is nice to see you again, My Friend. Though I wish you had caught me at a better time. Unfortunately, as of today, I have been assigned to guarding the princess," _he exclaimed rather dryly. Imhotep gave him a confused look.

_"And what is so bad about that? You should be honored to receive such an assignment at your age."_

_"No, it is not that I am ungrateful, My Friend. It is a great honor that the pharaoh bestows upon me to guard his eldest daughter, but… I would much rather be off spending my time elsewhere. There are far better things than babysitting some spoiled princess," _he said.

Imhotep nodded. He understood; his friend had never been one to take the lying down and getting stuck watching a ten year old probably was at the bottom of his list for adventure.

Their attention was suddenly turned when a series of screams came echoing from around the corner of the building. Asim and Imhotep shared a look and immediately darted off in the direction from whence it came.

Asim drew his scimitar and readied himself for a fight, running out just ahead of Imhotep; however, the excitement soon died down for him upon his arrival, for before them was a very heartfelt scene, quite different from what they had anticipated.

A little girl of about seven stood before her parents in absolute tears. She was pleading with them desperately, as behind, some soldiers stood only a few feet away in wait for something. Imhotep and Asim listened carefully to what was being said.

_"Mother, please do not leave! Why are you doing this! Please! Do not go!" _cried the little girl, in hysterics. She latched on to the bottom of her mother's tattered dress as if it would ensure her stay.

The woman was at a loss for words. She turned and looked her husband in the eyes, while hers were welled up with tears. Her face looked tired and worn for such a young woman, it was obvious she was upset and judging by the looks of the whole family, they were also pretty poor.

_"Garai, must we really go through with this?"_ she asked with a look of hope that maybe he would change his mind, call this whole thing off, and go on home, though she knew in her heart that this was the way that things had to be.

Her husband lowered his eyes and slowly let out a breath. This was one of the hardest things that he had ever had to do, even harder than the constant scraping for food that he had to go through day after day, never knowing where the next meal would come from. He slowly opened his eyes and brought his gaze to meet his dear wife's. He too seemed at a loss for words for the longest moment, but then somewhere found the courage to speak what must be said.

_"I am so sorry, my love, but my dear Dalila, we have no more money. I cannot find any work. Our crops have failed and our home is so small. We cannot give our daughter the life that she needs and deserves. The plague that is spreading through our village has already claimed our dear Nailah and Auset."_

He ceased a moment as the words he had just spoken rested in their minds, a painful reminder. His wife's face became even more heartbroken as she thought of her two daughters, her precious little ones. How young they had been.

_"I do not wish the same fate for our eldest and only remaining child," _he continued._ "We have already discussed this at least a dozen times. You know this. It is the only way. I know that it is hard, but we are doing this for her, for her future."_

Dalila nodded and fought back the tears, she did not wish for her daughter to see her like this, to remember her in this way. She had to be strong for her.

She carefully knelt down so that she was eye level with her little one and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. Looking her in the eyes, she spoke, "_Anck-su-namun…please, listen to me. We love you! We love you so much…never forget that…"_ Her voice began to falter and she had to stop a second to look up at the sky for strength before returning back to her daughter's gaze.

_"Your father and I have to go away. These nice men are going to take you to your new home."_ She pointed to the soldiers standing off to the side. Anck-su-namun looked back at her mother with the most hurtful look upon her face. How could they do this?

Dalila began to adjust her daughter's dress as if to make her look more presentable in the little rags that she wore. She gazed at her with so much love, but Anck-su-namun only stared back with tears in her eyes and a look of abandonment. She did not and could not fully understand why her parents were doing this. They said they loved her, but then why were they leaving her?

_"Mother, I do not understand,"_ she whispered as the tears began to fall again as she stuck out a quivering lip. Dalila quickly wiped the tears away from her tiny face and brushed the hair out of her eyes. She saw herself in her little girl's eyes; she resembled her in so many ways, right down to the very last drop. Dalila took in a deep breath, just barely catching herself from losing all control. It was like the Great God Anubis was standing before her to claim her last remaining child. Though she knew she would live, it felt like she was gone.

Dalila finally gave into her grief, giving Anck-su-namun the tightest, longest hug that she had ever given anyone in her life. It seemed like an eternity that she held onto her and she gladly would have, but eternity could never be and she would have to let go. Garai placed his hand upon her shoulder. It was time.

She ended the embrace and looked deeply at Anck-su-namun, for the last time, as if to memorize her every feature before she rose. Garai looked down at Anck-su-namun, he longed to hold her one last time, but he knew if he did, he might not have the strength to let her go, and so he only smiled at her, but Anck-su-namun did not smile back.

Taking a final breath, he stepped toward the soldiers and signaled for them that it was time. They nodded and made their way toward the girl, each grabbing her by an arm. Dalila quickly spun her head away in absolute tears, placing her face into her husband's chest.

_"Ny!"_ screamed the little girl with all her heart and soul. She was now hysterical, kicking and screaming with all her might. She kicked one of her captors and bit down on the other one's hand before making a break for her parents, but found them missing from where she had last seen them. She looked around frantically, only to find that they were gone. Desperately, she searched for someone, anyone who could help her, and that was when she saw the two young boys, standing there silently. She ran to them and falling to her knees she looked up to Imhotep.

_"Please! Please help me! Take me back to my parents! Tell me where they are! I will be good, I promise! Please! PLEASE!"_

Her tears drowned out her pleas. Imhotep just looked down at her, completely stunned. He didn't know what to say to her. Her eyes seemed to be boring into his very soul; she looked at him with so much intensity. His father had never been particularly close to him, and his mother, Femi, had died giving birth, so he himself could never understand her pain; however, he felt so sorry for her. It was almost like he could feel _her _pain. He almost wished it were him going through such an ordeal. She was just so desperate and…heartbroken.

His thoughts were interrupted; however, when the two soldiers, having recovered, came to carry her away once again. One came around the side and grabbed her by the shoulders and the other by the feet. They weren't going to take the chance of another "attack."

Asim and Imhotep could only stare as Anck-su-namun was carried off into the palace, crying for them to help her.

_"Another present for Seti," _stated Asim, shaking his head. He had to admit, even he felt sorry for this one._ "At least, when she is old enough."_

_"Imhotep!"_

Imhotep quickly turned around and saw that his father was calling to him. He had apparently retrieved the papyrus for the day's practices at the temple.

Imhotep turned back to Asim, _" I have to go. Temple duty. Good luck with your princess. I shall see you again, My Friend,"_ he called back as he ran toward his father.


	3. Chapter Two: Secrets in the Palace

**Chapter Two**

"Secrets in the Palace"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

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Nine years had now passed since Imhotep's first day as an official priest of Osiris and due to his father's recent passing, he was now the newly appointed High Priest.

Twenty-three years old, he was now six foot one, strong, and even handsomer than before. He donned the long, black robe, which was expected of a high priest to wear, which hung open in the front, revealing his chiseled chest, upon which laid the amulet of a scarab beetle, the symbol of creation and rebirth. Around his waist he wore the usual black loincloth. It fell just so, so that his toned thighs were revealed and bulged with every step that he took with his bare feet.

The morning had consisted of the usual duties at the temple, but now he was on his way to visit with his friend, Asim. After all these years, the Med-jai was still assigned to guarding the Princess Nefertiri and although he seemed to complain quite profusely, especially for a Med-jai, he seemed to have grown quite fond of his job, that, or quite fond of the princess. Imhotep was not quite sure which. The only thing that he knew was that his friend had asked to speak with him today as soon as possible.

Imhotep made his way through the palace. Commoners and workers stopped in their tracks and turned to give him a nod of respect, after all, he was now the second most powerful man in the kingdom, and the richest. Being keeper of the dead and the Black Book of Osiris also helped in that respect. It was almost as if they considered him a god. The thought seemed rather silly to him, but yet at the same time he found great pleasure in it; however, as of late it did not please him so greatly.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but lately he had been feeling somewhat restless. It almost seemed as if something was missing from his life, a big part of himself. He could think of no explanation either. It made him wonder if he would ever find out what he was looking for.

He shook the thought from his head and saw that Asim was just up ahead, standing at the doorway to his quarters. He waved his hand frantically to get Imhotep to hurry up. It was obvious that there was something important on his mind.

_Perhaps the day won't be so boring after all_, Imhotep thought with a smile.

When he finally reached his friend, they both slipped inside the room undetected and Asim closed the doors behind them. He turned to Imhotep and was about to speak, but seemed to lose his nerve very quickly and decided to pace instead, nervously rubbing his hands together. His black robes flowed with his movements.

Asim was now a very respected leader of the Med-jai. He had the tattoos upon his face to prove it. He was very tall; he even made Imhotep look short beside him. His dark eyes seemed lost in thought as he continued to pace. Imhotep sighed. This was going to take longer than he thought.

"_Things might move along more quickly if you-"_

But Asim quickly cut him off, blurting out exactly what was on his mind and to Imhotep's relief, making things a lot easier than expected.

_"Imhotep, I am in love!"_

Imhotep's eyes widened at this and he found himself trying to keep from falling over at this complete loss of control in his friend the Med-jai. He froze for few seconds as this news began to sink in and gradually a grin began to spread across his face, his eyes becoming soft with that certain little twinkle that they got when they knew something so special. So he _was_ in love with the princess after all.

About to reveal this thought, Imhotep suddenly held back. It would be better for the both of them if he let Asim say it for himself. The Med-jai were well known for being a group of secretive and cunning warriors, if Imhotep were to reveal that he had seen through his friend's facade, it would definitely cause some unwanted trouble between them. Instead, he said with much shock,

_"In love? You? You must be joking!"_

Asim began to pace even faster. _"Yeah, well believe it or not my friend, I AM…deeply. She is just so, so…"_

He trailed off, trying to find the words. He had never been too good at finding the right things to say and being in love didn't help his situation any. Imhotep jumped in for him, anticipating what his friend might be feeling.

_"Beautiful, lovely, and sweet with a voice so wonderful that it could send the gods to tears?"_

_"Exactly!"_ stated Asim, waving his hands about for emphasis. _"All that and…more…"_

_"Sounds serious,"_ said Imhotep with another one of his grins. _"And just who is the lucky woman?"_

Asim finally stopped pacing and looked Imhotep in the face. He looked nervous, almost scared for his life. He must have been thinking of what Seti would do to him if he knew that his daughter's bodyguard was in love with her. Seti had always only wanted the best for his daughters and anyone below royalty he was sure he would never accept, especially for Nefertiri, his favorite.

_"We have known each other forever, right?"_

Imhotep nodded, he was practically ready to blurt it out for his poor love struck friend, but somehow restrained himself. _Must be a priest quality_, he thought to himself.

_"So I can trust you not to let anyone know?"_

This time, Imhotep gave him a slightly annoyed look.

_"Okay, okay! It is the Princess Nefertiri!" _he said very quickly, waving his hands about again in frustration.

_"There, now was that so difficult?" _asked Imhotep with a playful grin. Asim just gave him a look.

_"Oh! Why did I even bother to tell you? You cannot even take me seriously! How could you possibly know what it is like to be in love with someone that you know you could never possibly possess?" _Asim walked over and sat down on a nearby bench overlooking the kingdom below. He looked out with a sadness in his eyes. Imhotep slowly walked over and placed a hand upon his poor friend's shoulder.

_"Alright, I am listening. Tell me about it. How does she feel about you?"_

Asim took a deep breath and shrugged, he seemed even more saddened by Imhotep's question.

_"To tell you the truth, I do not know. She is so feisty and headstrong. We have little spats almost all the time, just batting witty remarks back and forth. She has got such a fire in her…and her eyes…"_

He trailed off again, but this time lost in deep thought. Imhotep smiled, it was nice to see that something could actually break down his friend's tough exterior. He was sure that things would work out for the best. In a way, he envied him. He himself had never been in love.

_"My friend, I suggest that you talk with her. Find out how she feels. I am sure she would not turn you over to her father for the kill,"_ assured Imhotep with another one of his sly grins. Asim gave him a bewildered look.

_"What makes you so certain?" _he asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow. Imhotep smiled again and put his arms out before him in a very, "Hey, it's me!" fashion.

_"Because, I am the High Priest," _he said before adding in a more suggestive tone, _"I hear things…"_

And with that, Asim's face lit up with intrigue.

_"You do?"_

Imhotep shook his head and chuckled as he prepared to answer the barrage of questions that were no doubt about to befall him.


	4. Chapter Three: Someone Else's Princess

**Chapter Three**

"Someone Else's Princess" Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

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Imhotep was again on his way through the palace. It was a different route from which he usually took to his chambers and also a much longer one, but at the moment he didn't care. He felt like taking a walk anyway. He could use the solitude; he relished it.

He had just finished his talk with Asim and was most pleased with the fact that he had guessed correctly about the possibility of Asim being in love with the Princess Nefertiri. At the moment he was sure that the two were having their long overdue conversation, but it was now time for him to go prepare for tonight's celebration. Seti was throwing a festival for his newest entertainer and concubine. Tonight would be the night of her introduction into the kingdom and her entrance into "womanhood," which would take place soon afterwards in the pharaoh's private chambers.

Imhotep had no idea who the girl was, but he was sure she was no different from all the others that had gone before her for Seti's selfish pleasures.

With the queen being dead, the pharaoh searched constantly for a woman that would replace his lost love, one that would resemble her in almost every way. The girls that had failed to live up to his expectations had suffered severely. Imhotep had heard the stories. It was also rumored that the pharaoh himself had killed his wife in a fit of anger between them and he now searched to make amends for his guilty conscience.

His ponderings were suddenly distracted; however, when he saw, standing before a balcony, the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes upon. His heart practically jumped out of his chest at the very sight of her.

She was tall and slender. Her skin glistened a beautiful golden tint. Her hair flowed to just below her shoulders with tiny strands of golden beads running through it, and crowned by a small cobra sticking up at the top of her head. Her bangs were cut completely straight, resting in the middle of her delicate forehead.

She wore a tight, golden shirt with no sleeves. Her skirt was long and to the floor, but was slit at the sides all the way up to her curvaceous hips. She wore no sandals and upon her right arm she wore a golden phoenix amulet, the symbol of immortality, a most intriguing accessory.

Amongst all this, Imhotep noticed that she wore a look of despair upon her face and suddenly, he was compelled, by some unknown force, to head off into her direction. He didn't even realize what he was doing at first until it was too late.

She quickly turned to look at who was approaching, seeming almost frightened. The two became face to face and he could not believe his eyes, she was even lovelier than he had first perceived.

She had a very prominent nose that came to a perfect point, as if sculptured by the gods themselves. Her lips were full and pale, but with a golden tint like her skin. Her eyebrows were thin and arced with a mystery of their own. Her eyes were dark, like all Egyptian women, and the makeup that surrounded them formed a design that was similar to the Eye of Re. All Imhotep could do was stare at this beautiful "princess" before him. Who was she and why hadn't he ever seen her before? He longed to know more about her.

This thought suddenly frightened him. What was he doing? He was the high priest of Osiris. It was forbidden for him to even think such things about a woman, let alone feel attracted to one. It was part of the code.

He silently prayed for forgiveness under his breath to Osiris. He had to get a hold of himself, but felt that it was a hopeless battle. He prayed for strength and cursed Hathor to let him be. Why was this happening? He had never felt like this before.

Surprisingly, the girl stared back at him. She had seen this man before, walking through the palace; he was the High Priest of Osiris, a man of power, riches, and purity. So what made him stare at her so? What could he possibly want? She was of no importance and certainly not the type of girl for a High Priest to be associating with.

Yet somehow, she could not look away and she stared back into his eyes. The look that they gave soothed her and for the longest moment she forgot about the troubles that were surrounding her and became lost in his gaze.

Imhotep continued to stare into her eyes against his better judgment. They were so beautiful, so deep, and full of passion, desire, and even…depth. They were so warm and inviting. He felt as if he could look into them for all eternity and as if he had already done so. They had such…intensity…

Imhotep suddenly received a feeling of déjà vu and blinked, breaking the connection. The girl quickly averted her eyes and looked at the floor, as if she were ashamed, as did Imhotep.

_"I am sorry, My Lord. I did not mean to-"_

Imhotep found himself looking back up at her as she spoke and once again saw the sadness in her eyes. He immediately felt he should speak with her, to see if there was anything he could do to help. He was a priest after all; it was his duty to comfort, besides, maybe it would help to make up for the feelings flying around inside him.

He again begged for Osiris' forgiveness before he spoke.

_"What is your name?" _he asked, taking his fingertips and placing them just below her chin, guiding her to look at him once again. His touch seemed to fluster her even more, as her eyes widened in fear. Imhotep again received the feeling of déjà vu. There was something very familiar about her…

_"My name is of no importance, My Lord. I am but a mere slave to the pharaoh,"_ she said plainly, and moved away from his touch as quickly as possible.

Imhotep smiled at her nervous behavior, though he only thought it was because of who he was and caused by nothing more. He was a very powerful man after all and he was sure she was not use to associating with people of his stature. He smiled at her warmly to calm her.

_"Please, I would like to know. What is your name? You look so familiar, as if I have seen you someplace before…"_ his voice trailed off, still trying to figure it out.

_"I am Anck-su-namun and as I have said before, I am of no importance. I am sure you are thinking of another. Now if it pleases you, I wish to be left alone!"_ she answered very quickly, bowing her head to leave. Imhotep stared at her a moment longer, continuing to ponder, not even realizing her pertness.

Anck-su-namun looked on questioningly as she waited for him to make some response to what she had just said. She hoped she had not been over stepping her ground the more she thought about it. Her heart began to race out of control. She couldn't decide if it was more from the attraction she felt, or nerves and uncertainty. She hoped it was the uncertainty.

His gaze made her more and more uneasy with each passing second. What could he possibly be thinking about her? She had enough to think about as it was. Why didn't he speak? She wished he would go, but then another part of her wished he would stay. She was so lonely. She wanted someone to talk to, to listen to her innermost thoughts. She never got to talk to anyone other than the servants that took care of her, constantly instructing her in what to do and how to act. They weren't exactly the type of people one could share certain thoughts with. In her lifetime, she had never had a single friend.

_"Anck-su-namun…?" _he thought aloud, the name sounded so familiar. He looked at her carefully, trying to find out why. It was on the tip of his tongue.

And then, Imhotep's eyes widened at the sudden realization of who she was: the girl. The little girl that had latched onto him nine years ago, pleading with him to help her find her parents. He had never forgotten that, for it had truly left its mark upon his soul.

_"You? You were the- That day- By the Eye of Re!"_ he blurted out. He grabbed his head in shock. He was speechless. How could such a ragged little child, grow into such a, such a goddess?

Imhotep flinched. He had just done it again. _Forgive me, Osiris!_ he thought once more. He was going to have to do a lot of praying to make up for this day.

Anck-su-namun just stood there, her eyes wide in confusion. _"My Lord? Is everything okay?" _She began to wonder if she should go get help. This man had always seemed so calm and restrained before whenever she had seen him.

Imhotep quickly noticed the look upon her face and his cheeks became a rosy red. He gave a sheepish grin. How insane he must seem to her!

_"Forgive me, it is just that I remember where we have met before,"_ he said, hoping it would regain him some of his dignity.

Anck-su-namun looked even more confused now than before, especially since he was apologizing to her. Perhaps she did think he was insane.

_"I am sorry, My Lord, but I do not remember the two of us ever speaking."_

_"I would not expect you to. You were so young," _he said. She looked at him blankly.

_"I was the boy that you ran to the day that your parents gave you to the palace," _he said and then suddenly hoped that what he had just said wasn't bringing back any painful memories for her. She looked upset enough as it was and plus he felt that hurting her would be the last thing that he would ever want to do, but she seemed unfazed. He found himself giving a sigh of relief.

Anck-su-namun slightly squinted her eyes and looked at his face very carefully, looking for any signs of recognition. Imhotep's heart began to race nervously as she leaned in closer for a better look. He quickly averted his eyes in order to calm himself. He repeated Osiris' name in his head to distract himself.

Anck-su-namun gasped.

_"Oh my gods! That was you?" _she said, practically breathless, as her golden skin now began to turn a shade of red. His attention was quickly brought back to her.

_"I am so sorry! F-forgive. I had no idea that-"_

He held up his hand to stop her from apologizing. She had given him enough apologies to last him a lifetime.

_"It is alright, there is no need for apology. But…if I may ask, why is it that you are so troubled? I noticed this as I came over. Is everything alright?"_ he asked with much concern.

She lowered her gaze again, seeming ashamed to admit what was bothering her. Imhotep suddenly felt he had hit a nerve.

_"Forgive me, it is not my place to ask, but I am a priest. If anything is on your mind, you can always come to me. It will stay between us. I will not judge you…and I do not bite,"_ he said with a grin.

A smile finally crept across her face, breaking through her thick worrisome exterior. Just seeing this made his heart soar as if it was a gift from the very heavens above. He was glad he could bring such a joy upon her face.

_I'm going to pay for this,_ he thought.

Anck-su-namun took a deep breath, but then hesitated. He seemed trustworthy. She somehow felt she could tell him anything and that he would always keep it safe within him, but if what she told him were to ever get out, they would both be killed for it and he certainly did not deserve to die over something having to do with her.

She looked up into his eyes for reassurance and guidance in what to do and suddenly the words came pouring out without even a second thought.

_"It is tonight that troubles me. I am to be The Pharaoh's new concubine. Tonight is the night of my sixteenth birthday and so I am to be presented to the palace and announced as Princess Nefertiri's new teacher in the arts of combat. And then…"_ her voice trailed off and she had to turn away from Imhotep for fear that she would burst into tears.

His eyes widened in shock and his stomach took a dive. Now he understood why she was so nervous around him, especially by his touch. It wasn't just because of who he was. She was actually forbidden from any human contact other than her female servants and he had broken that law. If The Pharaoh were to ever find out…

He prayed once more to Osiris. This would be a day he would never forget.

He soon found himself looking at her once again. He could see that she was holding in a Nile's worth of tears even though she tried her best to conceal her pain. Her strong will would not allow her to give in. His heart cried out to her. She was obviously more distressed than him. By looking at her, he knew that she would not tell of their contact.

He studied her for a moment. Seti's other concubines had been different. They had been empty, as if they had given up the very fight for survival, but Anck-su-namun, she was special. She had a fire in her that would not allow her to succumb to Seti and his evil ways. He could see it in her eyes and he felt it in the air. It burned so brightly he knew even The Pharaoh could never extinguish it.

Some of the girls had even committed suicide to escape from their daily torment and Anck-su-namun's would be starting tonight…

Imhotep wished more than anything that he could help her, to save her from this fate, but the fact that she belonged to The Pharaoh meant that there was nothing that he could do and he had no right to interfere. Tonight she would be painted, forced to perform in front of the kingdom, and then be in Seti's despicable arms for as long as he desired. The very thought angered him. She didn't deserve this.

He could not explain why, he didn't even know her, but he knew in his heart it was best to just stay away. No good could come of this. He began to suppress the feelings even more that were welling up in his heart for her. If he were to fall for her, the consequences would be unspeakable. It would endanger his life and hers. It was better this way, besides it was forbidden for the both of them for such a thing, not that she would have wanted him anyway.

_"Anck-su-namun!"_ shouted the voice of a strange woman.

Imhotep and Anck-su-namun turned to see a frantic maid approaching. She looked completely flustered. Imhotep caught a glimpse of Anck-su-namun rolling her eyes as she watched the woman approach.

_"Anck-su-namun! I have been looking everywhere for you! It is time to prepare you for tonight. Come quickly, we should have started by sunrise,"_ lectured the portly woman, shaking her finger rather rapidly. Anck-su-namun turned back to Imhotep one last time.

_"Thank you for your time, My Lord, but I must now go…"_ she spoke softly, trying to hide her sorrow and took a small bow before walking away.

_"You are welcome…Anck-su-namun…"_ he whispered too softly for her to hear as she slipped down the halls with the maid. Imhotep closed his eyes to hide his pain.

_"Why you?"_


	5. Chapter Four: A Heart Locked Out of Heav...

**Chapter Four**

"A Heart Locked Out of Heaven"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

Almost everyone had gathered into the throne room for the night's celebration. Guards, priests, Med-jai warriors, servants, and Seti's many children filled the room. Several torches encircled the outer ridges, giving the place an almost eerie glow. The occupants were eagerly awaiting the festivities to begin, well almost everyone…

Imhotep stood atop the steps just to the right of the throne. He had now changed into his cheetah-patterned loincloth, which he, unlike the other priests, was permitted to wear. It fit tightly around his waist, revealing his navel and the subtly toned muscles of his abdomen and sculptured chest. Around his neck he wore a golden collar, accompanied by his usual scarab beetle amulet. Upon each forearm rested a golden wristband, extending from his wrist to just below his elbows.

Seti had seated himself comfortably upon his throne and was quite confidently surveying his people before him. He wore a smug smile. He was obviously very proud of himself.

Below him, sat his four youngest daughters, Safiya, Ife, Nuru, and Jamila, all neatly dressed in their ceremonial gowns. They were seated upon the steps and eagerly chatting with each other about the various "handsome" men that were attending the ceremony. Seti smiled at them, they were growing up so quickly.

Nefertiri stood opposite Imhotep, to the left of the throne. Being Seti's eldest gave her that right over her younger siblings. She watched her sisters' heated discussions with a smile upon her face. They were quite amusing. She wished she could join in their conversation. Watching them made her forget about her troubles for the moment.

Asim stood slightly off to her side, guarding his princess as usual. He stared at her rather openly, seeming to have forgotten all about his duties and the fact that he was in public and standing beside The Pharaoh.

Nefertiri turned around to give a quick glance to her faithful protector, but it wasn't quick enough. Imhotep caught the slight smirk, which passed between them. It was definitely obvious they'd had that talk…and apparently it had been successful.

Nefertiri quickly spun back around; she didn't want to risk getting caught. She leaned over to give her father a kiss upon the cheek. Seti smiled back up at his daughter, giving her arm a light squeeze. He was quite proud of her; she would make a great queen someday.

Nefertiri returned her father's affections. She had always been approving in all the decisions he made, never complaining or disagreeing with him. She was always quick to defend too, especially when she heard any horrible rumors about him having murdered her beloved mother. She would become furious and immediately make known to them the truth: he was a kind, sweet, gentle man, and had loved her mother very much. She could not understand how such things could ever be said about her loving father.

However, tonight she found herself questioning his better judgment. This new girl, the one, which he had chosen to be his new "untouched" mistress, was not, in her eyes, the wisest of choices. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about this "Anck-su-namun" did not strike her and the fact that she would be learning to fight from this girl did not make her any happier.

Her mother had been her teacher from the time she could walk and hold a weapon and she had treasured every minute of it. Nefertiri had refused to continue with her lessons after her mother's sudden and mysterious death, it had been just too painful. But, now with the approaching day when she would be forced to prove herself worthy to the palace to guard the Bracelet of Anubis, it was no question that she would have to start practicing once again.

Her father had been overly impressed with Anck-su-namun's skills and grace during her own lessons and had deemed her worthy to teach his most prized daughter. Nefertiri felt differently, of course. Something told her that this girl would be more interested in making her life a living Duat than being her teacher, or friend. She glanced back at Asim. He would protect her, she was sure of that.

The musicians suddenly began to strike up their instruments. Playing the traditional song for the occasion. The melody was dark and mysterious, almost as if it was drawing one's very soul into its melodious grasp. Servants quickly rushed to destroy the flames of the burning torches. The room was suddenly transformed into near darkness. Onlookers fell silent as the curtains from the side of the room slowly began to be pulled back. All that lit the room were candles upon the floor.

Imhotep could feel a nervousness welling up in the pit of his stomach. He was afraid of the feelings that would most likely be returning to him, the forbidden ones. He held his breath and braced himself for the attack, willing them to stay away. He was sure he could do it. He was a strong, intelligent, grown man. He could control his emotions.

_It is only a meaningless attraction, Imhotep, nothing more, _he though to himself. _Besides, it is not like you are going to fall in love with this woman!_ he reassured himself as he took a deep breath. He would be doomed if he did.

A leg slowly emerged from the dark opening of the curtains. It was painted completely gold with black lines trailing it up and down in a mesmerizing pattern. The leg was slender and muscular from the years of training for this night, yet also delicate, its naked foot pointed in a seductive pose. The golden anklet, which wrapped around the ankle added to the alluring effect.

A hip soon followed from behind the leg and finally brought with it Anck-su-namun.

Imhotep's mouth dropped and his heart stopped when he saw her. He couldn't breathe. He could feel her igniting something within him that he had never felt before in his life and he could not bear to look away for fear of missing a single second of her beauty, but he forced himself to fight it nonetheless.

Anck-su-namun was completely painted in black and gold from head to toe. Many patterns covered her nearly naked body. An almost scale-like design engulfed her breasts and danced in a hypnotic pattern to her pelvis. Around her waist she wore two golden chains, from which hung a small, copper cloth, not leaving much to the imagination. An even smaller, yet much longer, red sash was also tied around her tiny waist, hanging down between her legs in a very tantalizing display.

Around each wrist she wore a small golden bracelet and above those, she wore her phoenix amulet, except now the first was accompanied by a second upon her left arm. Her long, black hair glistened from the light cascading off the flames of the candles, making her look almost ethereal in their light.

Imhotep found it harder and harder to resist her beauty as he watched her dance. He could feel some part of his mind telling him to turn away and to stop this madness, but for the moment that voice was sounding farther and farther away. He felt himself losing all control and he could do nothing but stare. He was literally entranced. Everything around him disappeared from sight, there was only her. A goddess trapped among humans. She was just incredible, so beautiful, so delicate, so innocent… He held his breath and flinched upon this thought. She was innocent…but not for long…

The pharaoh chuckled to himself as he eagerly watched Anck-su-namun perform her dance before the court. Imhotep looked at him out of the corner of his eye. He appeared to him in the image of an evil imp. Imhotep suddenly felt a surge of anger run through his body. He almost felt like decking the lustful pharaoh, but knew that wouldn't be the best of ideas.

He had to remain calm. He began to wish that he hadn't have come. He should have known this would happen. How could he be so foolish as to think it would simply go away? Obviously he hadn't prayed to Osiris long enough before the ceremony. These new feeling were driving him mad. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to vanquish them somehow, drive them out.

He turned his gaze away from Seti in an attempt to squelch his anger. Unfortunately, he turned in the wrong direction. His eyes fell upon Anck-su-namun.

His rage began to increase toward Seti with enormous speed, and to whichever god had woken up one morning and found it an amusing idea to place these accursed feelings upon him.

Though as Imhotep gazed at Anck-su-namun, his anger also subsided a bit and began to turn more into sorrow. He could tell see was crying on the inside even though she wore a look of seductiveness. He watched her dance across the floor with perfect grace. It nearly broke his heart to watch her and having his psychic ability didn't help him much. It seemed to be drawn to her, causing him to feel her pain. He had always been able to sense things, emotions, events, and sometimes even the future, but this was the first time he had actually felt like he was living these feelings along with the person. It was almost as if they were connected in some way…

He looked back at Seti. The man wore a devilish grin upon his face. It was absolutely sickening to him. How could he look at her in that way? How could he be doing this to her? There were plenty of other girls he could have picked. Anck-su-namun was too good for this, too good for him. There was more to her than Seti could ever allow himself to see, Imhotep could feel it in his heart. She had the most enchanting spirit he had ever felt. It made him so angry that Seti would never fully appreciate her for who she was.

Imhotep suddenly caught himself. He had let his emotions get the better of him for the moment. He couldn't, he wouldn't allow it to progress any further. It had to stop. He found himself desperately trying to reason with himself and he closed his eyes.

_For the love of Osiris, Imhotep! What is the matter with you? She belongs to the pharaoh. Stop it! Stop it now! You are a priest, you cannot be with her, you cannot be with anyone and she cannot be with you. It is hopeless! It is not meant to be! Besides, who could possibly appreciate her more than a pharaoh? You?_

Imhotep opened his eyes and looked up at Anck-su-namun and for some reason an answer echoed in his mind, the answer to his question, _Yes…_

It was the answer he had feared. He quickly pushed it away. His thoughts and feelings were betraying him. He had to get out of there. He had to go to the temple. It was the safest place for him right now. Perhaps an extended stay would make him come to his senses before his feelings for her grew.

Anck-su-namun continued to dance in front of the many watchful eyes of the palace. She felt as if she were dying, in fact, she felt as if she already had. She was trapped in an endless nightmare and she was spiraling down into it further and further…and it was going to get much worse, she had seen the looks that The Pharaoh had been giving her. It made her feel nauseous. Her head spun and she felt like she had lost her very soul to Anubis.

She wanted to run away and hide, to cry her eyes out until she could cry no more. She wanted to get away from the eyes of these shameless followers of Seti's. She felt like an object, made just for everyone's pleasure.

All her life she had been ignored by everyone she met because of her status, and now that The Pharaoh had chosen her, she was suddenly getting all the attention in the world. She would have rather spent the rest of her life invisible at that very moment, than to live like this even for a second.

She noticed that the High Priest stood by The Pharaoh, watching her as everyone else was, but he did not look at her the same way. He looked at her in an almost a caring way, while everyone else looked at her with jealousy, hatred, awe, or lust. Why? Did he feel sorry for her?

She ignored the thought for now, and quickly finished her dance, landing herself in a very seductive pose as the music finally stopped. The dance had seemed like forever, but now that it had ended, it felt as if it had taken only a second to complete and she actually longed for that second to return.

The Pharaoh rose from his throne and took a few steps forward. There was a look of burning desire in his eyes and it frightened her. He raised his arms in the air and spoke to his people in a very gentle, yet powerful tone.

_"May I present to you Anck-su-namun,"_ he said, bowing his head in her direction as he applauded, giving her a big smile. The rest of the room followed in his example, even Nefertiri. Anck-su-namun forced a smile to her own face to return The Pharaoh's gesture, and everyone, but Imhotep felt it to be genuine.

Seti turned and motioned for his daughter, Nefertiri to come and join him by his side. She did so, putting forth her best look of approval that she could muster, so that no one would know of her dislike for Anck-su-namun, especially her father. She lifted her head to make known that she wished to speak. The applause stopped.

_"I wish to announce that as of tonight, Anck-su-namun will take over as my official teacher in preparing me for the guarding of the Bracelet of Anubis in the place of my late mother,"_ Nefertiri announced in her most regal tone, hiding all emotion. It pained her that her father had asked her to say it her herself, it almost made it sound as if she had chosen this girl as her teacher. If it were her decision, she would have her fed to the crocodiles.

Anck-su-namun bowed and gave a slight smile towards the princess. She wasn't very fond of her either, but still some part of her hoped that she may actually find a friend in her. Nefertiri did not smile back; however, as if to put Anck-su-namun in her place and she banished the thought from her head.

Seti quickly snapped his fingers and Anck-su-namun's maids hurriedly rushed up to his newest possession and began to lead her out of the throne room. Anck-su-namun's heart nearly leapt out of her chest. Everything was happening so fast. She wished it would stop.

The maids pushed her along and she turned around one last time to look at the throne before she exited even deeper into her nightmare. For a moment she caught the gaze of Imhotep. He appeared so sad. His look made her want to run to him. For a moment she wished that she were off to Imhotep's chambers instead of The Pharaoh's.

_What am I thinking?_ she thought to herself. _I am confined to the pharaoh. I should be honored...not every girl gets this privilege…_

This thought made her want to cry and she would have completely lost control of herself if not for Imhotep's gaze. She stared at him as long as she could, until she had left the throne room. What was going on behind those eyes of his? Did he care for her? Impossible. She was nothing, but mere whore…

The rest of the room's occupants began to clear out as well and Seti, still wearing a very proud smile upon his face, turned to his most trusted High Priest.

_"Imhotep, thank you for coming. I know that you are most always detained at the temple. It was a most pleasant surprise for you to join us,"_ he said, giving a nod of respect. Imhotep returned the gesture.

_"It was my pleasure,"_ he lied, still feeling the fire of hatred igniting in him for his pharaoh whom he served so loyally.

Seti smiled at his priest, but then turned to his daughter, and embraced her. Nefertiri returned the embrace, but kept her thoughts to herself about what her father was about to go do.

Asim still stood back behind the throne in wait for everything to finish.

The Pharaoh then left on his way through the palace, followed closely behind by his sacred bodyguards. As soon as he was out of sight, Asim made his move, making his way over to Imhotep.

_"Imhotep,"_ he said with a very big grin, _"I wish to thank you for earlier, for what you said to me. You were right."_ He continued to glow like a young boy and looked back over his shoulder at Nefertiri. She grinned and let out a little chuckle, momentarily forgetting about her father's engagements for the evening.

_"Yes, thank you, Imhotep. It is about time that he realized."_

Imhotep nodded his head, but did not say anything. He looked as if he were in a hurry to leave. His two friends seemed concerned. He always seemed to enjoy speaking with them, why was it now that he acted as if he wished for them to go? Shouldn't he be happy that he had helped get his friends together?

_"Is everything alright, My Friend?"_ asked Asim, placing a hand upon Imhotep's shoulder. Nefertiri waited for the answer herself. His behavior was quite distant, even for Imhotep.

Imhotep only smiled and shook his head, _"I assure you, it is nothing, My Friends. I am just not feeling very well tonight. Headache."_

He looked at them, hoping that they would accept his answer and let it be that. Nefertiri looked at him rather suspiciously to his dismay.

_"A headache? Are you sure? Come now, you look in perfect health, Imhotep. I know a headache from a problem,"_ she lectured him. Asim felt himself that something else was definitely wrong besides just a headache, but he didn't know for the life of him what that could possibly be.

Imhotep smiled once again to reassure them.

_"It is nothing. I am sorry to trouble you. It is a headache, nothing more. Now I must be going, I have a lot of work to do back at the temple. I will be seeing you again, I promise,"_ he answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible before turning to leave the throne room. Imhotep felt bad about the lie he had just given to his friends, but it could not have been avoided. He had enough problems as it was. He wished to just go to the temple before anything else happened and Osiris wiped him off the face of the Earth for his betraying thoughts.

Asim and Nefertiri watched him walk away, still not fully believing the excuse he had thrown at them.

Nefertiri saw the look of concern in Asim's eyes. He was obviously more worried about his friend than she and for good reason. He had known him much longer. She had only spoken with Imhotep during certain occasions and had not yet gotten as close to him. She just now only recently started speaking with him when she had gone to him for counseling on what to do about her tongue-tied Asim.

_"It is all right. I am sure it is nothing, My Guardian. He will be alright,"_ she said and pulled him into her arms. The feeling it gave was absolutely heavenly. She loved this man to no end.

He reacted by placing his own upon her tiny waist. He looked down at her; she was so small compared to him, coming up only to his shoulders. He smiled. He couldn't believe it had taken him so long to reveal his feeling for her. He was forever in Imhotep's debt. He loved this woman so much it nearly made him cry, he would do anything for her.

He leaned in and placed a kiss upon her soft lips, gradually increasing the intensity.

_"I love you,"_ she whispered when they finally broke apart. She looked up into his dark eyes with an angelic smile and whispered once again into his ear, quite innocently, _"Would you like to know what Heaven looks like?" _

Asim felt himself melt and he couldn't help, but to kiss her once again.

Unknown to them, Imhotep had stayed in the doorway, concealed behind the curtains. He had stayed to see if they had bought his excuse, just to be sure he was safe, at least with them, but as he began to watch them express their love for each other, he had somehow found it impossible to turn away.

He was deeply saddened by the sight of them. He was happy they had each other, but there was something else that made him sad about it. He didn't wish to acknowledge it, but he felt envious of them, jealous even, for he would never know what Heaven looked like…

His thoughts dwelled on Anck-su-namun and he quickly left to go ask forgiveness from the god which whom he served so faithfully, in hopes that he would grant him the power to forget her before his heart took over.


	6. Chapter Five: Beyond My Reach

**Chapter Five**

"Beyond My Reach"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

The pool of water inside Seti's chambers rippled and splashed as the three servants for his newest mistress, Anck-su-namun, quickly rushed to wash her free of all the imprisoning paint from her body. They did not have much time to make her presentable before Seti would arrive. Any places left marked by paint would most certainly result in a swift and brutal punishment for showing a lack of respect for their great pharaoh. 

Sitting naked in the pool was Anck-su-namun, as the maids scrubbed her from top to bottom. The water trickled down her long, slender body like tears, but she did not seem to notice. She could not really feel much of anything, not even the soft touch of the rags running gently over skin. She had gone numb to the world.

She watched the waters of the pool as they slowly changed from a beautiful, crystal clear blue, to a golden-black. The wet paint turned itself into a thick, smoldering cloud as it spread throughout the pool. In a way, she almost felt like the water which surrounded her, they were both being consumed by a great darkness from which there was no escape, except that hers would not be over with quite as quickly. In fact, she did know if hers would ever be over with.

She continued to stare blankly below her, as her servants merrily chatted on about "What a lucky girl she is", but the longer she stared at the changing waters, the less she could make out their words. The world around her was disappearing and locking her into a prison of sheer darkness. Her very soul felt as if it had been encased somewhere within her that she could no longer see, feel, or reach. She had lost herself and all that remained was an empty void in place of where her heart had once beaten, vibrant and full of life. And that was not even the worst part of it.

The worst of it was, she had become so lost within herself that she could not find her way back. Reality seemed like a dream from which she could not awaken and was slowly slipping away from her more and more. She felt detached, almost as if she was in a different place than where she actually was. Her world was gone and all because of one man.

_"Why the long face, Anck-su-namun?"_ asked the portly Olabisi, who had tracked her down earlier that day, only to find her in the company of the high priest. It had made no sense to her why the two had been together, but Anck-su-namun had informed her that he had only been giving her some religious advice in his passing by, but somehow Olabisi felt that Anck-su-namun had not completely told her the truth about that one. She had seen the way the two of them had been staring at each other, but she had put any doubts out of her mind after assessing the situation.

She trusted Anck-su-namun and though she did not know the high priest personally, she was sure he was completely harmless as well.

_"Anck-su-namun?" _she repeated when the girl did not answer, becoming slightly worried. Something was obviously on her mind.

Luckily, for Anck-su-namun's sake, she temporarily snapped out of her trance and became aware of her questionings, leaving behind whatever thoughts had been preoccupying her for the moment. She turned to look at the older woman with a rather confused look upon her face and did not speak, only stared.

_"Are you not excited to be honored by the pharaoh?"_ asked the second, much thinner maid as she poured more water over Anck-su-namun's slouching back. The poor girl looked absolutely in a daze. What could be the matter with her? Why, she was even pale.

Anck-su-namun finally made some eye contact with the three women and forced a smile. They had always watched over her, from the time she had arrived at the palace, practically raising her as their own and caring for her every second of the day.

However, Anck-su-namun had never felt close to them, no matter how hard they tried to please her, especially now. As she looked at them, she found herself seeing that they no longer held those familiar qualities that she had come so well to know over the passing years. Something was missing… They now looked as strangers, as if she had never truly seen them before until that very second and her eyes opened in utter realization.

It was because they did not understand or truly know who she was. No one did, and they never would, for she could never reveal her true feelings about the pharaoh or for any other… They were not the strangers, she was. She was truly alone in the world.

_"Of course," _she said, trying to sound happy. She could not let them think that something was wrong, even though she could already tell that they were getting suspicious. Even so, she had to keep up a good front and make them believe she was fine. _"I am just feeling a little overwhelmed, that is all," _she replied.

_"Oh, our little Anck is nervous!"_ giggled the third woman happily as she ran a small cloth over Anck-su-namun's arms, washing away the last of the paint and smiling gleefully down at her.

Olabisi smiled also, feeling much relief and turned around, taking the cloths with her. She placed them down upon a white bench, trading them for the robe, which lay upon it. It was good to finally be finished and to know that Anck-su-namun was only getting some jitters, just as she had earlier that evening before her dancing. The poor girl just needed to learn to relax, she was sure of it.

Olabisi turned back around and held the robe out to her. It was long and white and made of pure silk, absolutely breath taking. She wrapped it around Anck-su-namun's naked form and the robe instantly clung to the girl's wet body, making it now somewhat see-through against her golden skin.

_"Do not worry, My Dear. There is nothing to fear. The pharaoh is a kind man, I promise,"_ she said, smiling as she helped Anck-su-namun out of the water. _"Now just relax, you will certainly make Seti most pleased tonight. Do you not want to make your pharaoh happy?"_

Anck-su-namun lifted her damp hair out of the robe and let it fall back down upon her back, not responding to the Olabisi's question. She did not feel like dignifying that with the proper response, or any for that matter.

She would, "make Seti most pleased?" What did she know? The words infuriated her to the point of near tears, but somehow she managed to hold them back.

Why was it that to everyone else it was an honor to do such a thing for their pharaoh? They were ones to talk; they had never been bestowed with this "honor" themselves! Anck-su-namun was sure that they would not feel the same if placed in her situation. What gave them the right to tell her how she should feel? She would give absolutely anything to be anyone else, just as anyone else most assuredly would give the same to be her.

The doors to the chambers suddenly clicked and echoed loudly throughout the room. The noise seemed endless. Anck-su-namun watched them creep open as if in slow motion, counting down to her final seconds of innocence. She clutched onto her robe's opening as if it would protect her and held her breath. Her very blood was running cold. Time for her had stopped. The doors widened more and more and soon Seti stepped into the room. His gaze immediately shot to her.

He smiled as he looked into her eyes. He could see that she feared him. Good. Fear meant respect and she would please him out of that fear. He eyed her up and down for a moment and was most pleased with what he saw.

This one was absolutely beautiful and she was all his. He had made a good choice with this girl. Watching her practically dance across the room during her fighting lessons and tonight, performing before him, taunting him, begging him to come closer and make her his, had absolutely driven him mad with desire, but seeing her now, like this, only enhanced his growing appetite.

His smile gradually grew even bigger, twisting into some sadistic form that one could never imagine possible and he motioned with his head to signal that it was time for the maids to leave as he inched his way over to Anck-su-namun, his treasure; his newest conquest.

The maids obeyed with great haste and quickly gathered up their things to leave the room, so as not to delay the happy occasion any further. They scurried off and in an instant, the guards faithfully keeping watch outside the room, pulled the giant, golden doors shut. They banged in a loud repetitive melody in Anck-su-namun's ears, ringing through her mind, making her awaken to the reality of the situation that she was now in. She looked up and saw Seti smiling even more devilishly at her. They were now alone and she was all his, and he knew it.

Anck-su-namun still clutched onto the opening of the robe and held her head high. She looked back at the pharaoh with equal intensity, refusing to be stared down. Being a slave, it was forbidden to make eye contact, but it was one of her only defenses. She would not show him she was weak. She would not make this easy for him. Though she felt like crying until she could cry no more, as she watched him inch closer and closer to her trembling body, she would not break. It would do her no good. Besides, if she were to scream for help, who would come?

An image of Imhotep flashed through her mind suddenly from out of nowhere, but vanished as Seti pulled her rather roughly into his arms. She felt his hot breath on her neck. It smelled like rotten ostrich meat. She felt sick and her stomach churned. His touch made her shudder in disgust…

* * *

Down below, in the garden, Imhotep sat knelt before one of the many statues to Osiris. He had already gone to the temple and was now on his way back to his chambers, but to be safe, he had made sure to stop by here to pray once more. The more he prayed, the more his mind would be taken off Anck-su-namun. He was sure of it. If he proved his faithfulness, he would be rewarded. He closed his eyes and bowed his head before his god. 

_"Please, Lord Osiris, forgive once again me for my earlier betrayal. I ask and beg for your forgiveness, Oh Great One. Grant me the strength to forget her. Grant me the strength to not look at her. I am only human and need your guidance. I have served you well and I-"_

_"NO! STOP IT! LET ME GO! PLEASE!"_

Imhotep instantly cut himself off from his prayers and spun around. What was going on? He recognized that voice. His eyes shot up toward the balcony above in earnest. Could it be her? He felt his heart beginning to race in absolute trepidation.

_"STOP PLEASE!"_ cried the voice again.

A figure suddenly flew out onto the balcony, landing hard upon their stomach and sliding across the flooring. A wince emitted from their throat upon the impact of the crash. Their head lay on the ground, facing out through the bars, the only things that had kept them from falling to their death. Imhotep's heart stopped. It was Anck-su-namun. He would recognize her anywhere.

* * *

Anck-su-namun slowly lifted her head, taking up almost all her effort to do so. Blood slowly trickled down from her lips, running into her mouth; the taste reminding her of what she was dreading: that she was still alive. 

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, no longer able to be held back. She looked down at the ground below and found herself wishing that the bars had not been there. If not for them, she would now be dead and have her freedom. She wanted to end it all, before he touched her any further, while she still had a part of herself to recall. She could not live like this.

Her vision was blurred by the tears in her eyes, but she slowly began to make out a figure below, looking up at her. It took her a moment, but she finally recognized who it was. Imhotep.

Her heart suddenly soared. It was him, looking at her again in that special way of his. Why did it seem that whenever she was in need or upset, he always seemed to show up, always looking at her with so much care and deep concern… It gave her strength to look at him, but yet she cried. Cried because she could feel something within her beginning to tell her that she was not where she was truly meant to be.

Anck-su-namun could not speak louder than a whisper as she mouthed what little words she could form. There was a hope beginning to rise up within her from his very presence below her. She stretched out a hand towards his face. Even though she knew that she was out of his reach by at least a hundred feet or more, she still felt as if she could touch him.

_"Please help me…"_ she breathed as another tear rolled down her cheek.

* * *

Imhotep could not hear her, but somehow he understood what she was trying to say. He suddenly felt something wet upon his cheek. He quickly lifted his hand to see what it was. A tear. He was crying. He could not even remember the last time he had cried, he had almost forgotten what it felt like… 

He looked back up at her, feeling confused and more helpless than he ever had in his entire life and automatically mouthed in a whisper back to her,

_"I am sorry…"_

Imhotep slowly raised his own hand out in front of him, towards Anck-su-namun, as if to cradle her tear-streaked face in the palm of his hand. He didn't even know he had done it, he was too fixated on her.

_"I am so sorry…"_

* * *

Seti flung the curtains back that entered out onto the balcony and marched over to the battered Anck-su-namun. He violently lifted her to her feet and dragged her back inside. He would have her and he would have her now. She was just too enticing. He could not stand it anymore. Her defiance was driving him mad. He threw her down onto his bed with inhuman force. 

"Do not defy me any longer. Your little games are no longer amusing to me, Anck-su-namun!" he hissed in her ear.

She did not have the chance to fight back, he held her down with all his strength. He was mad with anger and desire, ignited by her. She flinched and looked away as he tore open her robe, her only barrier of protection. She let out a small cry as she was unwillingly bared to him.

Anck-su-namun felt literally sick and was becoming hysterical. She desperately kicked a writhed to free herself, but knew in her heart, what little of it she could still feel, that it was useless. She pleaded with him feverishly to let her go. This was not right. She did not want to do this, especially with him. Oh how she wished Imhotep were there to protect her.

She had seen what he had whispered back to her, before she had been so violently ripped away from him just as he was beginning to slowly reach his hand up to her in the most loving gesture she had ever seen. She now knew without a doubt that he cared for her in some way or another. For that moment, they had connected in a way that she could not even begin to describe and she knew in her heart that he would have helped her if he could have, but he was powerless.

_"PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME GO! I AM SORRY! I CANNOT DO THIS! LET ME GO! PLEASE!"_ she raved and struggled as Seti leaned down on top of her. He kissed her rather forcefully, thrusting his tongue into her mouth for the first time, and tearing open the cuts upon her lips even further.

She winced at the burning pain and gagged from the depths at which his kiss was held. She fought to push him out with her tongue. The taste was horrible, disgusting. She did not want this man kissing her.

She fought to push him off of her to catch her breath, but he pinned her arms down with his hands. It was hard to breathe; she was choking. Tears streamed down her face faster and faster. She needed to get away. She was beginning to feel dizzy. If she could just free herself maybe she could escape!

In a final attempt to save herself, she used up the last of her strength, and bit down as hard as she could on The Pharaoh's vile tongue in an act of absolute desperation. The taste of his warm blood ran across her tongue as he pulled himself away, letting out a small cry from the pain.

He looked down at her completely stunned by this new turn of events. His anger suddenly grew, setting his eyes ablaze. Anck-su-namun's fear escalated just as quickly. She had dared to harm the pharaoh. Now she would pay.

She could only stare back with absolute terror in her eyes at what she had done. This was it. There was no way out.

_"Treacherous Asp! You will learn to obey me!" _he shouted with rage and backhanded her across the cheek. Anck-su-namun's head flew in the direction of the slap with a lightening speed, but she let out no cry. Only lay there, silent as if she had felt nothing and no longer cared, staring off at the wall across from her. A giant red mark glowed on her cheek.

Seti was furious! Never before had he found one so defiant, but yet she was so beautiful and fiery like his wife had been. Yes, this one would learn to love him. He would break her and then she would be nothing but his. He would enjoy this new challenge. She was too good to pass up.

Anck-su-namun closed her eyes as tightly as she could. They began to ache from the pressure; however, tears still released themselves from her tightly shut lids. She could not bear to watch what she was about to feel, so much for showing no signs of weakness.

Seti held her down with one hand and the weight of his body as he forced her legs apart. Anck-su-namun let out a small whimper and tried to plead one last time. Perhaps he would take pity on her? He had told her that she had resembled his wife after all just before he had thrown her out onto the cold, hard balcony due to her lack of respect and refusals to submit. There may be a chance after all she hoped. Maybe he would do it for his wife?

_"Please, I beg of you…Do not do this…"_ she whispered with all her heart and remaining hope, as she looked him in the eyes, his cold, dark eyes. She suddenly felt more like asking him to just kill her when she saw what was behind them.

Seti smiled wickedly and as she had feared, he did not comply to her requests. She clenched her fists around the bed sheets and shut her eyes, awaiting the coming pain as he forced himself on her.

* * *

Imhotep shut his eyes as hard as he could upon hearing Anck-su-namun scream in absolute agony. He turned his head away and fought to hold back his own rising anger and tears. He clenched his fists and tightened his jaw. Practically every muscle in his body stiffened with rage and affliction from the sound. 

Seti had obviously penetrated her. He had taken away her innocence, giving no care or concern for her whatsoever. He had gotten what he wanted, and it was of no consequence as to how he had gotten it. Nothing else mattered.

It was so typical of the pharaoh, but Imhotep had never heard of nor seen any of the other girls be so resistant of him. He was surprised that Anck-su-namun was still alive, though he was thankful that she was, but at the same time, deeply saddened that she was alive to go through something like this.

Anck-su-namun's cries rang out through the garden, but fell loudest upon Imhotep's ears. She was screaming and begging for Seti to stop. The pain was too much for her. She even began to beg him to kill her…She would not be able to handle much more of this.

Imhotep felt his anger soar towards his pharaoh. It seethed into his veins. How could he be doing that to her? She was a gift from the heavens and he was tainting her with his heathen body. Imhotep could never do such a thing to someone like her. In fact, there was no one else like her! Seti did not deserve her! What he deserved was-

He ran his hands over his face in frustration to stop the treacherous thoughts and flinched at the unremitting cries, biting his lip with every scream. What could he do? He was absolutely powerless to help her. He was the High Priest, the second most powerful man in Egypt, but yet the one person he wanted to help, belonged to the one man above him. The one man he could never reach.

Anck-su-namun's screams continued to ring through his mind and torment him to no end. They tugged at his thoughts and very soul, beckoning him to come to her aid. He looked warily back up at the balcony where she had last been and couldn't help but cry once more.

What could he do? He longed with every inch of his heart and soul to be up there with her. To rip her out of Seti's evil grasp so that he would never harm her again. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, cradle her in his arms forever, protect her at all costs, and even…make love to her…

Imhotep could not believe what he had just thought and instantly threw his hands up into the air, shooting his gaze up to the heavens. With tears in his eyes he screamed out as loud as he could, cursing the gods.

_"What is it you want of me? Why must you torment me? WHY?"_

He was red with rage and it was getting worse with every new wave of Anck-su-namun's unrelenting screams. They practically knocked him over in agony. His connection with her was somehow getting stronger.

_"IT BURNS! PLEASE STOP!"_ she cried out between tears. Anck-su-namun then suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream, which caused Imhotep's whole body to shudder. He grabbed his stomach in pain. He was literally feeling sick to his stomach for what she was having to go through.

_"IT HURTS!"_

His pain skyrocketed at the sound of her voice. He could not bear to listen anymore. He could not physically or emotionally handle it. He dropped to his knees and prayed to Osiris to end it this entire instance.

_"Please, I beg you! Stop this! If you wish to leave me to feel this way for her, at least do not put her through this torment! Save her please! I no longer care for myself! All I ask of you is to just help her!" _he cried, pleading from the very depths of his soul.

Another tear rolled down his cheek as he opened his eyes to look up at the statue, hoping that somehow the screams would cease, but to his despair, Anck-su-namun's horror continued to ring in his ears.

Imhotep took a deep breath and glanced up to where he had last seen his princess. Osiris had deserted him and seemed to be refusing to answer his prayers. His very soul was torn. He could do nothing. His world was changing before his eyes. He no longer knew himself or his surroundings, or what his new feelings were trying to tell him. He had never felt like this and he could not figure out for the life of him what it all meant.

_"I am truly sorry, Anck-su-namun… Forgive me…"_ he whispered with shut eyes as he turned to leave for his chambers. There was nothing more he could do and he could not bear to listen any longer for fear of losing his mind. He felt sicker with every cry he heard until he was finally out of range.


	7. Chapter Six: Cries in the Night

**Chapter Six**

"Cries in the Night"

Seti's Palace

Thebes. Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

The palace corridors were dark, but lit by many crackling torches along their walls. They glowed in an almost dim, foreboding manner, each one flickering slightly as the high priest of Osiris passed in his long, black robes, still flowing loosely behind him, floating like some ghostly specter through the night.

It was deathly silent as he trudged on to gods knows where, making his footsteps all that echoed through the desolate corridors of the palace; however, Imhotep heard none of it. Instead he heard more torturous unrelenting sounds within himself that were almost too much for him to bear.

He was in absolute agony. His thoughts dwelled upon Anck-su-namun. Though he could hear her no longer, in his mind it was as if he had never left her. Her screams felt louder than ever. He could almost still feel them upon his ears, pounding and tearing through his mind over and over until there was no hope of ever silencing them or releasing him from his nightmare, nor of the one that he was unable to rescue Anck-su-namun from.

It was unbearable and he could not make it stop, no matter how hard he tried. He could not figure out what was going on. He had always been able to control his thinking. He felt completely lost, as if he did not know himself anymore.

He wandered aimlessly through hallway after hallway on the way to his chambers, taking any route, not really realizing where he was going. All he could see was Anck-su-namun; her beautiful, pleading face up on that balcony; like the one of the helpless little girl she had once been; begging with him to save her by just a mere look, just as she had then, she had the most powerful eyes…

That look had shot straight to his soul. He could not even begin to describe how it had made him feel that all he could do was just stand there like some lifeless statue and look at her. He would have died right there below her if only he could have helped her and he would give anything to have that moment back, to change the wrong that he had been done.

She had looked at him with so much longing and fear. She had needed him from the bottom of her very soul and he had let her down. His heart ache increased at the very thought and image of her sweet, innocent face in all that pain, her tear streaked face and her hand, reaching out to him that he had so wanted to hold in his own.

Imhotep began to feel his eyes tearing up once again and he felt a lump forming in his throat. He felt completely helpless and even lower than the pharaoh himself. If only he had done something. Then she would be safe and free from that Hell.

Incredible, unbearable guilt suddenly flooded through him, filling his soul. He brought his hand up to his face to wipe away the tears before they fell, but it was useless.

What was the matter with him? What he was thinking and feeling were treacherous, blasphemous thoughts. He had even cursed the gods in a moment of desperation and weakness. And not just any gods, he had cursed his god, Osiris. The one he had been loyal to since childhood and had served without question. He was truly losing himself and to what he did not know. What was Anck-su-namun doing to him?

Imhotep took a deep breath and tried his best to relax and fight back the tears as he turned the next corner. He was desperate to calm himself and escape from his mind. Perhaps the gods would forgive him if he went straight to bed to pray, making him wake up with this night being forgotten forever?

His insufferable pain only heightened after this thought. He knew that that was absolutely impossible. Nothing could ever make him forget this night…no form of magic, not even the gods.

He realized then that no matter what he tried to tell himself, there was no escaping these feelings, no escaping her. Something had happened between them that night, he still did not know what it was, but it had made him connect to her in a way that he could never have dreamed possible.

His feelings had risen to such an intensity he had never known before that he had fallen to the ground and begged for mercy, not for him, but for her, something he had never done before in his entire life. He had never cared so deeply for anyone. It was almost as if it had come from his very heart, every word of it. She made something happen inside him.

He felt so lost and afraid. Why had he done that? He could not explain it. The answer escaped him. It had happened so fast. He didn't even have to think about it. Not a single thought had gone through his mind except that he needed her to be okay at any cost. It had taken every bit of his self control not to rush up there to her and rip her out of Seti's vile grasp.

Why did he care for her so much? What did all this mean? These feelings were frightening and dangerous. He was not suppose to have them for many reasons: she was Seti's, he was the high priest, unable to have such feelings for a woman, and plus she was forbidden to be touched by any man, no matter his stature. Even if Imhotep had not been the high priest, he still would have been forbidden to have such feelings for her.

He felt so frustrated that he felt like pounding his fists into the walls until he could pound no more. He wanted to make the memories of tonight gone from his mind forever. He could not bear the image of her on that balcony any longer. It was tearing him apart. He wiped more tears away from his face, about to lose his mind at any moment. He turned the next corridor and faint sobs floated into his ears coming from a balcony in the halls…

He turned to look, stopping in his tracks. He was in the same spot he had been earlier when he had spoken to Anck-su-namun for the first time. He felt his very breath leave him. Was it her? His heart sped up as he tried to get a better look, his apprehension growing. He felt it coursing through him at unknown speeds, making him to the point of almost lightheadedness. He drew in deeper breaths, part of him wished it was her and part of him prayed it wasn't.

At first, he could see no one, but then as he looked down towards the ground before him, he could see a tiny figure sitting with their knees pulled up to their chest, burying their face into them, quivering, and weeping uncontrollably. Long, black hair fell loosely around them, almost concealing the whole top half of the figure's tiny body. A torn, white robe was all that clothed the figure, but barely covered anything in its poor state. It was practically destroyed.

His heart stopped. He couldn't move and he couldn't breathe. It was Anck-su-namun, just as he had feared. All his feelings from earlier intensified as he looked at her little, nearly, naked form.

Another tear rolled down his cheek. An incredible feeling to hold her ran through him, but he fought to resist it. His heart cried out in utter anguish. He felt unbelievably sorry for her. Why hadn't he done something? He should have been there for her! His body tensed with emotions from the sight of Anck-su-namun.

Her sobs continued and became more and more audible, flowing straight to his heart. She did not know he was there. He could still leave if he wished, but her tears nearly consumed him. He closed his eyes tightly to try to fight back the pain and decided right then and there that he would not let her down again. He had not been there for her before; he would be there for her now. He would do whatever it took. There was no way he could leave now.

He opened his eyes to her before giving a quick glance down the halls to make sure that no one was around. Slowly, he approached. He knelt down before her, still going unnoticed. He had always had the ability to sneak up on people when he did not wish to be seen and right now, startling her was the last thing that he needed.

He watched her closely, wanting to reach his hand out to her to run it through her soft, dark hair, to let her know that he was here now and wasn't going anywhere. He was close enough to actually touch her, but he only stared, afraid to come any closer. His heart was bursting with emotions and his soul was torn in what to do.

Slowly her sobs ceased as she began to feel that someone was watching her. She let out a small gasp and held her breath, lifting her head very quickly. Her eyes met with Imhotep's. She looked at him in surprise, dropping her knees from her chest and trying desperately to cover her shaking body with what little bit of the robe she could. Hastily, she fought to scoot herself away with any remaining strength that she could muster, but it was of no use.

Imhotep watched her in agony as she tried to depart from him. He could see by her face as she struggled to move that she was in absolute pain and that her strength was gone. He wished for her to stay still. She mustn't be moving. He began to panic.

Her eyes were red and her face was soaked. Her lips and face were cut and one of her eyes was becoming puffy and not just from her tears, which were already causing her eyelids to remain half open. There were the beginnings of bruises here and there on her that he could see through the moonlight and torn robe.

He could not help but stare at all that Seti had done to her. It was the most horrifying, despicable thing he had ever seen, and he who looked after the dead! It was unbelievable. He tried to reach out to her to get her to stop, but his eyes fell down upon her legs, which were kicking rapidly and suddenly his heart and stomach dropped from what he saw.

There was a trail of blood along the inside of her thighs and most of it was still fresh. Imhotep's jaw dropped and all he could do was stare. Who could have done this to such a princess? He was in absolute shock.

Anck-su-namun gave up all attempts at fleeing and began to sob even harder as she noticed what Imhotep was looking at. She covered her face with her hands and cried louder than she ever had in her whole life, losing all control and forgetting where she was. She no longer cared anymore. Her face burned, she most likely had given herself a fever, but that was the last thing on her mind. If she died, so what?

She felt so sick and vulnerable, at the mercy of all that surrounded her. She deserved to be wiped from all existence. Why did Imhotep have to see her like this? Her head pounded, she could hear it loudly in her ears. She felt lightheaded and she could not see straight. Her face was hot; her eyes ached and burned, throbbing madly. Her throat and jaw felt as if they were about to fall off from all the wails and she felt completely drained of all feeling, nearly numb to everything physical.

_"Get away from me!"_ she ordered through her hands, sounding muffled and almost drowned out from her sobs. She could not move. She trembled and pressed her face harder into her palms. Why did he have to show up now? She wished she could just disappear.

Imhotep looked back up at her as he heard her words. How could she say such a thing? He felt as if he had just been stabbed through the heart. It hurt him beyond comprehension that she did not want him to be near. How could he ever walk away from her? After what Seti had done to her? He would never have the strength to do such a thing. There was no way that he would leave her alone like this. Not now. She was in no condition to for such a thing.

It made him sick to see her in this way. He couldn't even imagine the full extent of pain and abuse that she had endured. Her commands had to have been out of fear and anger. She was irrational and lost, desperate to get away. Her mind was gone. She was trapped and alone, walking through a never ending Hell, no doubt because of the unrelenting, heart wrenching flashbacks that had to be replaying in her mind. Her spirit had been broken...Seti had found a way afterall…

His anger raged and he bit his lip, turning his head away from her, but suddenly those feelings were taken over by indescribable guilt once again. He felt the lump in his throat become bigger and he had to fight back the urge to burst into tears along with her and hold her in his arms, never letting her go for the rest of their lives.

He wanted to take her away from here, care for her, wash away her pain, her memories of what had happened, and make sure no harm ever came to her again. He squeezed his eyes shut and placed his hand upon his face, his thumb and fingertips resting at the corners of his eyes. What could he possibly do?

Anck-su-namun began to shake more rapidly the longer she cried, still asking him to go. Rambling on as if that were all that she could say. Imhotep opened his eyes to look at her. She gagged from the sheer amount of tears and grabbed her stomach from the pain of every cough. She was literally making herself sick. If she did not try to calm down, he was not sure what would happen to her. He had never seen anyone like this. She was hysterical. He must do something!

Imhotep instantly removed his robe and placed it around her. Wrapping it carefully around her shoulders, anything to try to stop her shaking. He had to make her relax. Anck-su-namun slowly removed her hands from her face and looked up at him in surprised confusion with the tears glistening off her beautiful cheeks.

Imhotep stared back at her, still holding onto the opening of the robe. He was frozen. He did not know what to do. He was caught in her gaze. Tears began to stream down his own face when he saw the pain that was looming behind her eyes, ones that were too beautiful to possess such a thing.

Anck-su-namun looked at him with an open mouth in disbelief at what she saw. He was crying. The high priest was crying for her. Her heart began to race and she began to feel uncertain as to whether this was real or not. He was covering her up…and looked as lost as her…

_"You are safe with me, Anck-su-namun,"_ he said quietly without thinking, only staring into her eyes.

She lost it.

In an instant, she had thrown herself against him. She placed her head upon his chest and cried as hard as she could, clinging to him as if for dear life. No one had ever spoken to her like that. It was the best, most meaningful thing anyone had ever said to her.

Imhotep felt her practically convulsing with every cry against him and felt the wetness of her tears upon his chest. He didn't know how exactly to react. He felt afraid to touch her, afraid of what he may feel if he were to seal the embrace, or afraid to frighten her, but automatically went with the first reaction that his heart told him to do.

Cautiously, he placed his own arms around her, pulling her close. The feel of her made him cry even harder. He wished he could do more for her. Somehow this didn't seem enough to make up for his leaving her, or for her pain. She deserved so much more.

Anck-su-namun flinched and immediately tensed as she felt Imhotep's arms wrapping around her shoulders. She could feel the warmth of his upper body against hers. In an instant, memories of Seti flooded into her mind and she felt completely ill.

She could see it all before her as if it were happening all over again; feeling him holding her down, twisting her wrists to the point of burning, and gripping onto her arms so tightly that she had expected them to fall off at any moment; his sweaty body on top of hers, breathing his hot breath down her neck and trailing his nauseating tongue along her body…

She cried out and instantaneously pushed herself out of Imhotep's arms, covering her face once again with her hands. Imhotep's heart nearly broke. Had he done something wrong? He watched her in complete silence. He could see that her chest was heaving up and down as she fought to push away her visions. This just was not right. Not even his touch seemed to do any good. What had that snake done to her?

The flashback of Seti dissipated slightly after a few moments from Anck-su-namun's mind and she seemed to be as calm as she was going to get. Imhotep decided that he had better try again. She needed his help, needed to know that she need not be afraid of him.

Cautiously, he gently lifted his hand to her chin and brought her eyes up to meet with his. His hand shook all the while, praying that she would not have a relapse from his touch. He would show her that she could trust him if no one else. He would never give up. He filled the look he gave to her with as much care and tenderness that he could muster from his heart.

Anck-su-namun was frightened at first, and slightly resisted his pull, not wanting to be near him, but soon could not help herself and found that she was being drawn into his gaze. She saw again within those dark eyes of his just how much he truly cared for her.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto her legs, wetting some of the dried blood. She felt suddenly that she wanted to hold him, have him make everything go away, make her world go away, but was afraid of those images and sensations returning if she were to be so close to him once again.

More tears fell. Her heart wanted one thing and the rest of her another. She didn't know what to do with herself. She wanted to be in his arms. He would protect her, she could see that, but then she had this overwhelming fear. She continued to look into his eyes, searching for an answer. Every emotion that she was feeling was practically written across her face and it worked its way into Imhotep's heart. She looked so lost…

_"Anck-su-namun…Do not be afraid…You have nothing to fear from me…I would never cause you any pain…" _he whispered tenderly, trying to search for what to say. This was the most difficult moment he had ever experienced.

_"You are a blessing from the Heavens above, Anck-su-namun…The snake that did this to you deserves to be-"_

Imhotep cut himself off, realizing that he had said those last words with an almost hidden ardency and determination. His words were frightening and surprising to him. He could not believe that he had just said so openly such a treasonous thing about his pharaoh…but the more he thought about it, it didn't matter. The man needed to be damned for all eternity for his actions; the hom-dai would not even be fitting enough a punishment for him.

He looked back at Anck-su-namun and froze upon another realization. He had released some of his hidden feelings for her as well without any knowledge of its happening. A tear rolled down her cheek. She was speechless. His words were like kisses from the Heavens, breathing new life into her dying heart. He had said it with so much feeling and…love?

She looked down at the fingers that still touched her chin and suddenly realized just how much his touch soothed her. She leaned in closer to him, keeping her eyes locked on his before she placed her arms back around him. She squeezed him tighter than before. She needed the comfort. She needed someone to hold and to hold her, and this man seemed to care for her so much that it nearly took her breath away.

She knew that she was safe and that he would not tell of this. She needed him. She wanted to stay in his arms forever. She felt so protected, so at home. These thoughts confused her to no end and she let out all her tears.

She tightened her grip upon him and pulled herself as close to him as she could be. His touch was relaxing her. She could hear his heart beat resonating from within his chest. It pounded loudly in her ear, calming her more and more with every new beat. She heard and felt it quicken within him and felt hers seem to come in tune with his, making her feel almost as one with him. His scent filled her nostrils. He smelled like the temples, like the incense they burned, so sweet.

Imhotep felt another tear or two escape him as he held Anck-su-namun in his arms and breathed her in. It filled his soul with joy to be holding her once again and he could hardly believe just how tightly she clung to him, causing him to hold her tighter as well. To be as near to her as he could, if only to make her happy.

It all seemed so right and he forgot all about the fact that she must now know how he felt. He felt her body relaxing in his arms and her sobs slowly quieted more and more. It felt wonderful to know that he could make her relax like this, to be there for her at last. He could feel her hair tickling his chest as she sobbed quietly and nuzzled against him.

He brought his cheek down upon the top of her head and closed his eyes, whispering softly to her while stroking her hair, what was in his heart, his voice filled with emotion.

_"I am sorry, Anck-su-namun…I wanted to help you…I truly did…Please forgive me, …Such a repulsive act should not have befallen you…I should have done something…"_

Anck-su-namun felt her heart melt by the way his voice filled her very being and she began to sob from the overwhelming emotions it inflicted her with. She remembered calling out to him on that balcony. She remembered him whispering to her, him reaching out…Pain filled her again, but his words from a moment ago echoed in her mind. His voice was almost melodious and it soothed her more than she could have imagined, so quiet and tender, but yet it also made her sad and more confused.

She could not believe that Imhotep was apologizing for this. There was nothing that he could have done. It touched her so deeply that he had wanted to help her so much…That he had wanted to be there…It made it feel as if he actually loved her…which she was beginning to wonder about…She removed her head from his chest and looked up into his eyes, the care she saw in them was unbelievable. Chills filled her very being and she became shaky with uncertainty of her own feelings.

_"It is not your fault…There was nothing that could have been done…I should not have asked…"_ she whispered, finding herself trying to comfort him. She watched his face very carefully. She studied every feature. She had never been this close. This man was so special. The very gods must have sent him to her. How could anyone care for her in such a way?

She did not know what she would have done had Imhotep not come along when he did. Had he been much later, she would have surely plummeted to her death off this very balcony. A tear rolled down her cheek and she connected with his eyes.

_"Thank you…"_ she whispered with a small, thankful smile with her sad, exploring eyes. Imhotep looked at her in confusion, feeling her boring into him with her eyes.

_"For what?"_ he asked, stroking her face free of tears.

She smiled a little bigger and held his gaze, not sure of how to answer, but somehow the words came out on their own.

_"For you…"_ she whispered and quickly placed her head upon his shoulder. She could not look at him any longer. His eyes overwhelmed her with immense confusion and agony. She felt torn into a million pieces. A couple tears continued to fall from her from all that was happening, but yet somehow, she was happy to just be in Imhotep's strong, loving arms. What was going on?

At the same moment, Imhotep suddenly felt the strangest feeling within his heart. It started out small and then spread, growing bigger and bigger throughout his entire body. It was warm and peaceful, yet powerful, feeling like ripples through his chest. It almost seemed as if it were his soul, awakening from a deep sleep. He felt it traveling through him with no signs of lessening. It was incredible…and then he stopped. He knew. He finally knew what all his new feelings were and what his heart had been trying to tell him all along…

His mouth dropped and his heart rate quickened, causing him to take deeper breaths and no doubt lose the color in his face. He looked down at the princess in his arms and moved them all the way around her so that she was as close as she could be, bringing his head down upon her shoulder, tears falling from his eyes.

He loved her. He loved Anck-su-namun. He loved her to no end with all of his heart, all of his soul. The realization of this scared him out of his mind, but at the same time made him happier than he had ever been. How did this happen? For what purpose? The questions in his mind were endless, but he chose to ignore them. He knew there was no explanation for them. Only the gods knew. All he knew was that his heart had chosen Anck-su-namun.

He saddened. His heart had chosen her, but he could never tell her of it. He could not be with her. It was out of his hands. They were destined to be apart. Fate had thrown him a cruel trick. He could almost feel it laughing in his face. He held onto her tighter, afraid she would vanish from his arms because of this fact.

Anck-su-namun felt confused the longer she was held in Imhotep's embrace. She was having many mixed emotions, more so than before. She was beginning to feel incredibly frightened to the point of sickness by his touch due to what had just happened to her and the new feelings she was seeing in Imhotep's eyes and voice, but yet at the same time, longed for it even more. And these feelings would lessen and worsen without cause. What was the matter with her? Her head was spinning out of control.

Imhotep somehow gave her hope and eased her mind, but she was so scared to let him know. She did not want to go through… "that" again, unsure if all men were like that now in that area, and plus she did not wish to get him killed over her. He was too good for that. If he did love her, she prayed that he would stop. She began to cry harder once again, tears now full fledged.

Imhotep pulled her back to look at him, startled that she was now getting worse. He studied her every emotion and feature. There had to be something that he could do! What was the matter now? He couldn't bear to see her like this. It broke his heart. He wanted to make her happy and make her forget this night forever. He loved her!

_"Anck-su-namun…Do not cry…please…The Heavens would collapse at such a sight… For you are not alone, My L-"_ he stopped and swallowed back the word. It could have been disastrous. No, he could never say it, no matter how badly he felt he should. No matter how compelled. His heart screamed at him, but he ignored it, finishing what he was going to say,

_"If you ever need anyone…you can come to me…For I will always listen…"_ he whispered lovingly, wiping away the tears with a gentleness that he had never known he had. Even if he could not tell her, he still could not bring himself to not touch her sweet face. She was a princess. Oh why did it have to be this way? He wanted to give her everything!

Anck-su-namun only stared at him. His words meant everything to her, she could barely feel him touching her face. Another tear fell. She wondered what it was that he had started to say to her, a part of her knew, but she pushed the idea out of her mind. She was too taken away by everything that he was doing for her.

_"High-"_ she tried to say, but Imhotep raised his hand for her to stop, smiling slightly, and spoke soothingly to her.

_"You do not have to worry about rank at the moment, Anck-su-namun...Never when you are with me…"_ he said, looking her in the eyes, those beautiful eyes...like the stars above. He shut his eyes for a second.

_What am I doing?_ he thought. If he kept staring at her so, she would certainly notice and most likely become even more frightened. He practically was holding up a scroll to her that said _"I love you, Signed Imhotep, High Priest of Osiris"_ in big hieroglyphics! This in no way could help her.

Anck-su-namun blinked. She was speechless for about the hundredth time with him. He never ceased to amaze her. She swallowed, wiping away a few tears as she looked him in the eyes nervously.

_"Imhotep…"_ she whispered for the first time, not believing that she was actually saying his name, and to him! Something about it made her heart fill with emotions and Imhotep's as well. It sounded so beautiful coming from his princess, as if it had never had any true meaning before it had graced her lips. He had to steady himself.

_"Yes?"_ he inquired, curious to know what she had to say to him and hoping to the gods that she was not picking up on his emotions.

She took a deep breath, readying herself for her question and wrapped the robe more tightly around her to block the draft that she had been feeling. It smelled so good, like Imhotep.

_"Why is it that you are always wishing to help me?…I do not deserve such things…"_ she whispered, moving her eyes to the floor, unable to look at him. She felt a lump in her throat and her body was trembling in wait of the response. Please don't let it be that he loves me, she thought. She could not take it, even if a part of her wanted it.

Imhotep did not know how to answer her. His first thought was to tell her the truth, everything, but he pushed it aside with all his power, paining him as he did so. Why did she have to ask him such a question? He felt so torn between his heart and his duties. Yes indeed, fate had played a cruel trick.

Slowly, he took a deep breath and choosing his words carefully, he began to speak. _"Never say that…Anck-su-namun..." _he said softly, hurt that she thought of herself in such a way. She deserved everything and anything that she wanted.

He reached out and lifted her head with his fingertips once more. Why did she always have to look away from him? His whole body felt limp suddenly as he looked into just how deeply her eyes went for the first time. He wanted nothing more than to blurt it out right then, but fought it with all his might. His heart felt almost suffocated by him holding it all in.

_"…No one, not god, nor man has the right to do such an unspeakable act to one so special as you…especially on the night of your birth…"_ he finished, accidentally no doubt, revealing to her some of his feelings toward her. He held his breath. That was not a good choice he had made there. His heart pounded loudly in his ears.

Anck-su-namun let out a breath and smiled in disbelief. Special? Without thinking, she suddenly leaned over and gave Imhotep a soft kiss upon his right cheek. He stiffened and felt his very breath leave him. His eyes widened at the touch of her warm lips. He felt peaceful and relaxed. A warm feeling passed through him. He felt his skin become hot. He closed his eyes as she moved away from him.

This couldn't be real. Slowly, he reopened them and to his surprise she was there. This was real. She had kissed him. He could only look at her in admiration. What had made her do such a thing?

He noticed she was avoiding his gaze, as usual in her little timid way and clinging tightly to his robe. She was obviously embarrassed and most likely also scared for what she had done. No doubt, her feelings were confusing her. Which meant, he had reached her. That kiss had proven that much. He had helped her in some way. He smiled at her and felt himself longing to kiss her back upon her own soft cheek, to let her know that he felt the same. Just one little kiss…

He started to lean towards her, but hesitated. He couldn't. There was no way, especially with what she had just been through. It wouldn't be right, but he had to do something to express his feelings. Something that would not reveal his love, but calm her at the same time. The last thing he wanted was to have her upset for showing him affection!

He lifted his hand and moved it over her face ever so gently, waving it passed, just far enough away that it did not touch. Her head followed as if it were being pulled and she looked up at him with a fearful look in her eyes because of the kiss. She was scared of his reaction, but then the corners of his lips formed ever so slightly into a smile when she saw that he was not going to do anything in return and she felt her fear dissipate and her own lips smile in return.

Imhotep sighed. If only she had known what that little gesture from him had meant…He held her gaze with his little grin and to his surprise, she was smiling back. It was a nervous smile, but a smile nonetheless and he could see a hint of joy within it, though ever so small. He also saw relief.

His heart suddenly became even more hers. The feeling he got from seeing that he could make her smile at a time like this was just so overwhelming. He would have never believed it possible. He could die right now. He was complete when he looked at her.

Anck-su-namun could feel her face was hot with lingering embarrassment from the kiss. Why had she kissed him? She felt scared and unsure. She had just done it…No thoughts, no worries, no anything, just the movement…Her heart beat quickened and she looked away.

_"I had better get back to my chambers…"_ she whispered nervously. She needed to think. She wanted to go to her room and fall asleep for as long as she could.

Imhotep felt his heart sink at the thought of letting her go, that she wanted to go. He wanted to hold her once more, but knew that that moment had passed. It was over and gone forever and he would probably never have the chance again. He had to accept that. She was not his.

_"Olabisi will be worried,"_ she added. She felt that he did not want her to go and a part of her did not want to, but she was just so scared and confused and that kiss was reminding of earlier once more.

She tried to stand, but was weak and began to wobble as she fought to lift herself from the ground. She tried to grab hold of the railing for support for fear that she would fall, but missed and lost her balance, starting to topple over backwards off the balcony. Imhotep immediately jumped and lashed his arms out to her, pulling her to him in a panic. She was safe.

She clung closely to him at first, shaking from the shock and then the two of them looked at each other as she was now in his arms again. They could not believe what had just happened. They were both speechless and Imhotep was practically bursting to tell her of his heart's desires even more. He could not believe that he had almost lost her. His mouth opened, ready to say it.

Anck-su-namun could only look up at him, shaking. Her heart was racing. The closeness was frightening and her memories were returning once more from when Seti had first tried to kiss her, but yet the longer she looked at Imhotep, she had other feelings as well that helped to fend them off. Her feelings were practically fighting with one another for dominance. It almost made her sick.

_"Are you alright?"_ he asked instead. Anck-su-namun's lips parted to speak, but she hesitated and stared at him, still in a state of awe.

_"I-I am just weak, t-that is all,"_ she said in a shaky voice.

Imhotep and Anck-su-namun continued to stare at one another. Their gazes were so deep that they penetrated each other's souls. Imhotep suddenly wanted to kiss her again, except this time not on the cheek. He felt her trembling in his arms, making him begin to tremble as well. He had never been so scared in his life. He reached down and took her hands in his, never breaking contact with her gaze.

A noise was heard from down the hall, coming from out of nowhere in the darkness of the palace. Imhotep felt his heart nearly stop and turned away from Anck-su-namun for a second to see what was the cause, to make sure that no one had seen, but the second that he let he go of her, Anck-su-namun felt her last remaining strength leave her. Her eyes rolled back and her body went completely limp.

Imhotep spun back around to her when he heard a slight cry escape her lips before she had passed out. He threw himself toward her and brought her into his arms just before she hit her head upon the hard floors. He looked at her carefully, making sure she was alright.

He noticed that she was still breathing and he gave a sigh of relief and held her close. Thank the gods! His eyes wandered their surroundings. What had been the cause of that noise? There was no one in sight. He felt his nerves rising. This place was not safe and Anck-su-namun needed medical attention. The best thing to do was to take her out of the halls before her situation and his became any worse.

Imhotep stood and took Anck-su-namun into his arms. She was so light and small for her height. Her face was so beautiful in the moonlight as it danced across her skin. It left shadows and highlights, painting it with Silene, the goddess of the moon's beauty, but yet it also gave off a ghostly presence to it, that reminded Imhotep of all the horrors that had been done to her that night. She was truly lucky to be alive. He thanked the gods for that, even if they had not been listening as of late to his pleas. Apparently Hathor had had plans of her own...

Imhotep carefully positioned her into a comfortable position for him and for her in his arms. She moved her head towards him as he adjusted her, mumbling what sounded like his name. His heart jumped. He looked at her carefully and a small smile came to his face. What could she be thinking about? He noticed suddenly that she was trembling in his arms.

Using his freer hand, he covered her more with his robe that had slightly fallen off, revealing her skin. He gave one last look down the halls and gazed at the ground below. Still no one and if there was, he could do nothing about it now. Anck-su-namun needed his help. There was nothing he could do. If anyone said anything, he would say that he was only trying to see if she needed any help because of her poor state.

Imhotep turned and walked off in the direction of Anck-su-namun's chambers, careful not to walk too fast as to cause her anymore injury. He wanted her as comfortable and safe as possible. He needed to get her back to her bed. She needed immediate rest if she were to recover, hopefully Seti would not call for her again for quiet a while…

His anger rose as he looked upon her, not really paying attention to where he was walking. How could anyone do this to such a flower? His heart began to ache. If only he could take her away from this…If Seti touched her like this again, he did not know what he would do!

What was he going to do? He was completely, totally, and utterly in love with Anck-su-namun…and it was getting stronger every second…He had never wanted this to happen…

* * *

In the shadows of one of the corridors, Asim stood. He had seen the whole thing and he could not believe it. Imhotep. Imhotep and Seti's new concubine. Together in the halls. He would have stopped them sooner, but knew that the girl had been seriously upset so he had allowed Imhotep to comfort her, sure that his friend had known what he was doing, but when he had seen the looks those two began to give each other and the kiss which Anck-su-namun had placed upon Imhotep's cheek, he had had his doubts about his decision. 

Had he not made some sound at the time he had, they would have surely kissed upon the lips, a most disastrous event. It was best this way that he save his friend from making such a horrible mistake. That girl belonged to The Pharaoh. Their lives were at stake.

Yet somehow, he felt sorry for his best friend. He had fallen in love with one even more forbidden than his own love for Nefertiri. The pain that his friend must be feeling, he didn't even want to imagine. Now he understood why Imhotep had been so upset at the ceremony. He had been in love.

He cursed himself for his earlier comment to him about that he would never know what it was like to love someone that he could never have. How that must have felt to him!

Suddenly, Nefertiri walked up behind him and he jumped at her unexpected words.

_"There you are! I have been looking all over for you! I thought that you were only going to go check on Imhotep's health before coming straight back to see me?"_ she asked, rather put out. Why was her love just standing here in the halls? Imhotep's room was much farther off. There must be something wrong…One does not just stand in the halls, staring off at nothing for no reason…

Asim turned to her and smiled reassuringly. _"I am sorry, My Queen,"_ he said, throwing in his little pet name for her for good measure.

_"I was only looking to the Heavens. Their beauty is much like yours and so I became lost,"_ he said, meaning every endearment, but hoping to hide his friend's secret.

He knew that Imhotep would not act on his feelings. He was a smart man and would not do anything so foolish as to be with one of Seti's. He had just gotten caught up in a circumstance that would not happen again, anyone would react like that. He couldn't blame him for losing himself in the moment, especially when he seemed to love her so. Things would be fine from now on. He would talk with Imhotep later, but for now he trusted him and knew that nothing would come of it.

Nefertiri laughed and leaned in to give him a kiss, but secretly wondered why he suddenly was so poetic. It very was unlike Asim to be so articulate, but she was sure that he would tell her later.

_"I do believe that I am going to have to tie you to me from now on if I expect you to find your way back,"_ she teased. _"Now come on…dawn is quite a long way off…"_ she said, giving him a sly grin, leading him down the halls.


	8. Chapter Seven: Falling

**Chapter Seven**

"Falling"

Seti's Palace

Anck-su-namun's Chambers

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

The night had been long and restless for Anck-su-namun. Hour after hour only bringing new torments upon her. She was filled with nightmarish visions piling atop one another at enormous rates; growing more terrifying beyond anything one could imagine possible as the night hours crawled by with never ending intensity.

The visions were all the same: Pharaoh Seti I. Anck-su-namun could not escape them as they replayed for her in her mind, holding her more tightly than Death itself. She struggled to awaken, but couldn't, always being pulled back in, deeper than before. An end seemed nonexistent; she would be tortured for all time in this almost too real Hell her mind's eye had so sadistically created for her.

However, at times, the nightmares felt as if they were subsiding in their violence, becoming less graphic, less intense, making Anck-su-namun feel more at ease in these few moments of lapse. What caused this, she did not know, but her entire being was grateful for these few seconds of release.

Yet, there was one thing that she was able to notice about it. Whenever these moments occurred, she could make out a faint voice. It sounded distant, too far off to place, but rang with a familiarity all its own, soothing her, flowing to her like some Heavenly spirit sent to watch over her. Everything for the moment would abandon her, leaving her in peace. Many times she had tried to find the owner of this voice, run to it, but was never able to find the way, once again being consumed by nightmares of unspeakable natures, pulling her back into the darkness.

Anck-su-namun awoke with a start, her eyelids flying open, releasing her from the seemingly endless dreams. She could feel her heart pounding loudly within her chest, causing a rush of adrenaline to course through her veins. Instantly, her eyes darted fearfully around the room, trying to figure out where she was and slowly things became more clear to her.

It was her room. She could feel herself in her bed, the cool, silk sheets against her body, covering her; her head lain down upon a soft pillow. Nothing from her nightmares were present. She was safe. Seti was gone…at least for now, but the thought of him ever returning to her filled her with immense dread. At least for now she was free, and her dreams were over.

Anck-su-namun let loose a long, deep breath and closed her eyes. Thank the gods. Now if only she could stay safe like this forever…

She breathed deeply once again as the warm sunlight cascaded through her balcony, filling her room with light, as well as the rest of the palace, making it seem less foreboding and dark, as it had in the moon's pale light. The moon…when it came again after the course of seven days, she would have to return to him…and be in his vile grasp once again, her time of recovery over...

Anck-su-namun closed her eyes and fought back the visions beginning to seep in, for if they got a hold of her, they would surely stay. She had a week, for now it was just best for her to keep herself preoccupied of her coming fate. In the meantime she had other things to take care of. She had to prepare for the day.

As soon as she tried to sit up; however, an unbearable sharp pain pierced through her stomach and legs, shooting through her like shards of ice. They shot up to her chest and all throughout her body, making it nearly impossible to breathe. She froze, her body instantly giving way and falling back down toward the bed, racked with excruciating pains, her face grimacing and tears forming in her eyes. She had never felt, nor imagined anything of the sort in her life and definitely had not expected such a reaction from a mere attempt at sitting up. Seti had obviously done more damage to her than she had thought.

Hands immediately reached out to her and took her head into their grasp, cradling it in their palms ever so gently as they eased her head back down towards her pillow. Anck-su-namun's heart nearly leapt from her chest at the unexpected contact. Who was touching her? She had seen, nor heard no one in her chambers. Her mind raced.

_"You must rest," _said an all too familiar voice, quite soothingly. Anck-su-namun's heart skipped another beat at the sound of it and immediately turned her eyes to her bedside.

Knelt beside her was Imhotep with a very concerned expression upon his sweet face as he carefully placed her head back down unto her pillow.

Anck-su-namun found herself too far stunned to do or say anything in protest to his order of lying still. She was happy to see him, but was completely shocked by such a thing. It was the last thing that she had expected. All she could do was watch as he tended to her, carefully moving his hands down to lift the sheets back up over her, but as he did this, Anck-su-namun noticed something else and let loose a loud gasp, which simultaneously caused Imhotep to freeze in his actions. What she saw was certainly even more most unexpected.

She was clothed, somehow placed into her white nightgown. Instantly her mind whirled for an explanation. How could this be? She could not remember dressing herself; in fact, she could not remember much of anything now that she thought about it. Only a few memories seemed accessible to her, coming to her in only tiny flashes as she struggled to quickly piece them all together. What had happened?

Staring down at herself, unable to look away, she studied everything before her more and more and what she discovered next nearly sent her for a loop.

Her wounds had all been tended to, the blood completely wiped away without trace. Her eyes widened at the mysterious sight as she continued to ponder everything, trying to take it all in, to make sense of it, which seemed utterly impossible at this time.

Had he done this? If so, why? Questions began to fill her mind as she started to come to her senses a bit more about the whole situation. What had possessed him do such a thing and why was here in her room? Did he not know the severity of being near her like this? Surely he would get himself killed for such an act. If someone were to find out-

Anck-su-namun darted her eyes back to him, pale with apprehension from all that swirled through her mind.

_"Are you mad? What are you doing here?"_ she cried, feeling herself turn even paler with worry as she looked into his eyes. They could both be killed for this. How long had he been here? He looked so tired, as if he had not slept at all…through the night...

Anck-su-namun suddenly felt her stomach fill with dread at this. If he had taken care of her, tended to her wounds, been there the whole night, everything…then that meant that he had had to touch her…

The second Imhotep witnessed Anck-su-namun's reaction to him being there, the feeling that he had done her some wrong quickly seeped in. Perhaps he had been mistaken in thinking that she would feel more at ease upon knowing that he had watched over her while she had slept? His heart sank at this likelihood. He had never wanted to cause her any grief.

Many times he had thought about leaving, fearing for this response if she were to awaken, but every time he had even tried to turn away from her, he had found himself once again returned to her bedside; leaving her had not been an option and he could remember the entire night so clearly…

The halls had remained empty and silent in the minutes that followed Anck-su-namun's loss of consciousness, allowing Imhotep to pass through without worry of any unwanted encounters on the way to her chambers.

Upon arriving, he had washed and cleaned the numerous cuts marred upon Anck-su-namun's naked body, running a dampened cloth along them as lightly as he could, erasing any traces of blood, which Seti had so generously bestowed. He had even rubbed warm oils upon the bruises and muscles, meant for making the body to relax and easing its aches, in hopes of causing her to lie still so that she may give her body some time for recovery.

Upon her wounds, he had applied special medicines to each and every one, not leaving a single scrape untouched. He refused to leave any for infection, in fact, he had used several medicines, potions, and herbs to heal her, the best that he had; nothing was too good when it came to Anck-su-namun.

Out of these, some were used in an attempt to reduce her relentless nightmares and constantly, fluctuating fever. He had prayed for them to be enough to make her rest, even for a minute, but none had seemed efficient enough to do any good and he had often cursed to the Heavens that they had failed him when he had needed them the most.

Upon finishing with the care to Anck-su-namun's injuries as best he could, Imhotep had found a white, silk nightgown resting upon one of her many pillows. Carefully, he had taken it into his hands and prepared to dress her. He had felt awkward about it at first; quite unsure of how to best go about such a thing, as he had never dressed anyone in his entire life, but he had wanted to make her as comfortable as he could and so he had decided to proceed.

After coming up with a quick plan for how to perform such a task, Imhotep had carefully slipped the gown onto Anck-su-namun, being mindful of all her injuries as he had done so. He had found himself almost too afraid to touch her, for chance of hurting her even more and never had he trembled so in his life.

Once he had finally gotten the gown on, he had tucked Anck-su-namun into bed. Making sure that the sheets were all the way up to her chin, to keep out any cold air. She had been shaking so much earlier that he had feared for her health, for there was a good chance she may have become ill, and so, Imhotep had sat himself beside his love upon a settee, so that he would be near should she need him.

It had been a long and torturous night, without giving Imhotep a moment's rest from any of it. He had watched Anck-su-namun to no end, always at her side, tending to her, wanting to do anything in his power to help the one that he loved so dearly. Nearly watching the agony racked across her beautiful face had caused him sufferings beyond imagination. He had almost not been able to believe the amount of fear, with which she held upon it.

Trying to envision the kinds of nightmares and feelings that Anck-su-namun had been living had proved absolutely overwhelming, causing him several times to pray to the gods that they would grant him the ability to take such atrocious and abhorrent dreams from his love, even at the cost of keeping them for himself for all time; nothing else had mattered at that point and he had felt so powerless throughout the whole ordeal.

Anck-su-namun's head had rapidly moved from side to side as she had somehow, amazingly, remained in a deep sleep, even while kicking her legs about wildly as if she were being attacked at various intervals. Little whimpers and cries had also escaped from her mouth and she would often mumble incoherently into the night; her cries only growing more and more as the time had passed, proving that the remedies, which Imhotep had used on her, were becoming even less effective.

In a desperate attempt to try to nullify her cries and to aid the medications, Imhotep had done his best to make sure that Anck-su-namun knew in some way that he was near her. Several times he had found himself leaning close to her ear, stroking the top of her head, pushing her bangs away from her sweet forehead, and whispering to her that she was safe, he was with her, and that she need not be afraid. Once he had even caught himself placing a kiss to her forehead when he could think of nothing else to do.

As dawn had approached, Imhotep had begun to realize many things about himself and the current situation. The number one thing being that he had not been able to tear himself away from Anck-su-namun. He had had to know at all times if she was alright; afraid to leave for even a second, even at the risk of being caught. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect her that was within reach of his powers; she was more important to him than his own life. Being by her side for so long had only made him see it so much more.

He had never cared for anyone or anything as much as he did her. When he was near her he suddenly felt as if he had found some missing piece of himself, something that finally filled some empty void within him. He had felt that his world was finally alive, his heart awakened for the first time in his life. What he had been searching for, that unknown cause of his restlessness, had been found in Anck-su-namun…and he was beginning to wonder if his heart had been trying to tell him to find her all along...

Imhotep snapped back to reality, ending his reminiscing as a painful realization came through. He may have found what his heart had been searching for and what could finally made him complete, but the reality of everything only filled him with a new pain, one that was almost unbearable: He could not hold onto what he had found…

Having Anck-su-namun before him and being unable to reveal his true feelings for her, was about the most painful sensation he had ever experienced, which seemed to be a running trend as of late. How could something he loved so much, cause him so much pain? And if he loved it so, why couldn't it be? It angered him to no end that he could not be with her; drove him mad. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, and love her, but she was Seti's…Seti, that vile serpent of the underworld…

Imhotep closed his eyes for a moment, looking away from Anck-su-namun. He did not wish for her to see his rage for the Pharaoh in his eyes. He calmed himself to rid of the malicious thoughts that were beginning to overpower him.

Anck-su-namun only stared at Imhotep, plagued with uneasiness. What exactly had he done? Her mind began to flood with ideas of what may have happened, causing her anxiety to build. True she felt better, her muscles feeling more relaxed, her cuts no longer burning, but she could not help but wonder; the previous night seemed to had robbed her of all her ability to trust. She felt so unjust, robbed of the person she use to be. Was she losing her mind? She searched herself for some rationality in all that was happening. Looking down at herself once again made her find one.

Imhotep had dressed her. He had not left her in what she had been in the previous night; her torn and tattered robes. He had actually taken the time to dress her, and not only that, he had even tucked her into her own bed. He had truly had cared for her…not hurt her…She instantly felt herself relax at this, but at the same time, she went into a state of awe.

Whatever had made this man care for her? The answer to this question eluded her at all costs. She wasn't anybody important, or special, she was Anck-su-namun, a concubine to a lecherous snake who ruled over Egypt by an evil twist of fate.

She studied his face, his eyes, everything. Even now he seemed so caring towards her, just as he had been from the very start and every time it only seemed to grow…She could feel her earlier worry about him returning to her as he finally answered her question.

_"You needed medical attention…"_ he responded slowly, moving his eyes nervously away from hers every now and then, _"I took it upon myself to care for you…I did not wish…to leave you…"_ he finished softly, feeling himself beginning to be drawn into her eyes, but quickly broke away. He cleared his throat and added to his explanation in order to hopefully hide his feelings, _"in the care of another…Are you feeling better?"_

Anck-su-namun remained silent for the longest while, studying his face. _"Yes… Thank you…"_ she whispered, looking at him quizzically as he pulled the sheets up over her once again with a tiny, modest grin. She noticed he seemed to be doing his best to avoid direct eye contact with her. Somehow she felt that he was trying to hide something and she began to feel a little uneasy once again.

Her mind began to wander back to the night before. How had she gotten back here anyway? The last thing that she remembered was being in the halls…with Imhotep… He had been holding her…Anck-su-namun felt her heart skip many beats at this thought, but she pushed it away as hard and as quickly as she could. The mere feelings that she got from him at times frightened her.

Instead, she tried to think back to what had happened after all that, how she had returned to her room. Little bits and pieces of her memory began to come back into her mind. They seemed fuzzy at first, but she fought to pull them through. The last thing that she could remember was a noise…Yes, she had heard a noise in the halls, Imhotep had walked away, and then… blackness… There was no more after that.

Anck-su-namun's eyes widened at the darkness that she saw in her mind, and she immediately tried to sit up in a panic, but was caught again by Imhotep, who gently pushed her back down.

_"Please…do not move so,"_ he pleaded into her eyes, his face close to hers. He did not wish for her to have a relapse of the night before, not when she had just come back to him. She was weak and needed to stay completely still if she hoped to recover anytime soon.

_"What happened last night? How is it I came back to my chambers? I remember hearing a noise! What was it? Please! Please tell me that no one was near! That no one saw us!" _she begged, her fists tightening around the silk sheets within her hands.

Imhotep smiled and lifted his hand to gently stroke her face. At first, Anck-su-namun jumped from his touch, but the gentleness at which he did it, quickly soothed her and she found her eyes closing from the feel, her breath slowing.

_"Shh… Do not worry so. You lost consciousness and so I carried you back here. I assure you that no one knows of anything. There is nothing for you, nor I to fear…"_ he reassured her lovingly, seeing as how she was beginning to become worked up once again. He wanted to calm her, let her know that nothing was wrong, even though he himself felt that the sound last night was not as unimportant as he had just told her.

No matter, he would deal with it later. She needed him right now. That was all that mattered. He was just glad that she was finally awake! It had driven him mad sitting in wait for her to wake up, wanting to know that she was alright, to hear her sweet voice and see her beautiful smile once again that so barely showed, but always melted his heart.

Slowly, she lifted her hand, taking his in hers and looked into his eyes. _"Thank you…"_ she whispered, squeezing his hand tightly, covering it now with her second, _"Imhotep…"_

Imhotep's heart nearly leapt out of his chest from her unexpected touch. She was no longer afraid of him…He was thrilled beyond words. His eyes gazed back into hers and he smiled from her words. They were usually so few, but he loved every one, especially when it was his name. The way she said it just entranced his very soul.

In the meantime, Anck-su-namun felt herself still holding her breath from his response. That was the sweetest, most kindest thing anyone had ever done for her. Everything he had done was. Anyone else would have surely left her to die or fend for herself, obeying the law that she was to remain untouched…but Imhotep had not…He had done just the opposite, broken it and not cared, except for her, and he was still here to show it. He was unlike any other…

In her mind, played his voice, repeating to her that there was nothing to fear, instantly draining her worries in the constant flow, her eyes closing. For once she felt that everything would be okay, that maybe her life would get better. A tranquil and protective feeling washed over her, but then suddenly something struck her. A realization sunk in.

The voice; Imhotep's voice… It was the one…the one that had been calling to her in her dreams. Imhotep had been trying to reach her while she had slept, the entire night… A lump formed in her throat at this. She did not know what to say, the whole thing was just so unbelievable. She opened her eyes, her gaze directly falling to him.

Imhotep paused, smiling at her, still remaining close to her face. Her gaze captivated him. He could feel her breath upon his lips as he hovered close to hers, making his tingle. He remained still, not moving any closer or further; he just looked at her. He still almost could not believe it, she was awake and seemed to have recovered quite a bit in such a short amount of time. He unknowingly continued to stroke her soft cheek and a joy filled his entire heart as their hands remained together.

Imhotep was so close, just inches from her and Anck-su-namun knew why. Her earlier worry about him was now confirmed. He loved her. Why else would he be doing what he was? She could even see it in his eyes. It was unmistakable.

In her heart she felt a warmth beginning from the very core. It tingled and rippled in her chest, then finally spread throughout her entire body. She trembled as it filled her, her eyes filling with tears. Someone loved her and not just anybody, Imhotep loved her…This fact not only made her happy, but caused worries and fears of unimaginable sizes to set in, frustrating and frightening her, but yet she could not pull away from him, nor did she want him to pull away from her. She was so mixed with inner turmoil about what to do and how to feel that she wanted to cry.

Gradually her face became hot and her heart beat increased by his gentle caresses of her face, beginning to send her into a peaceful trance. Moment by moment, she became pulled more into his deep gaze. His eyes filled her very heart with a glow she could not describe, one she had never felt before; they were so deep, so intense, so beautiful… she forgot all else when she was in them…

Imhotep suddenly blinked, realizing at last how dangerously close to her he was. _By the eye of Re! I have done it again! _he cursed. He quickly pulled himself back, hoping that he had not already caused her to be uncomfortable from such gazes he given to her. Had he stayed any longer, he would have surely done some stupid act. He had felt himself longing to kiss her once again upon her lips. _By the Gods!_ He had to get a hold of himself; otherwise she would no doubt discover his love for her.

Anck-su-namun swallowed nervously and turned her gaze away from Imhotep to hide her coming tears. What had that all been about? She had been pulled into his gaze before, but never like that. Her stomach instantly turned with fear and she shook her head, blocking out all explanations. If the reason was what she thought, she did not want to know it; did not want to think it! The tears that had been building in her eyes finally released and streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably and she immediately lifted her hands to her face in order to hide herself from him.

Imhotep looked at her, riddled with guilt. _What have I done? How could I have let myself do such a thing? _he cursed again. He should not have leaned as close to her as he had. He had made a stupid mistake in doing so and now Anck-su-namun was in tears and all because if his selfish heart. _Is there nothing I can do right by her?"_

He worriedly lifted his hands out to hers to gently pull them away, but Anck-su-namun forcefully pulled back from him, jerking free with an angry sounding cry and he immediately let her go. He would let her do what she wished; he was not like Seti.

_"Anck-su-namun, please tell me what is the matter!" _he begged, wishing her to look at him, his heart wrenching, but Anck-su-namun only seemed to cry harder at this request. Imhotep instinctively pulled her to him as gently as he could from her laying position, to hold her against him, while he tried to get her to face him with his other hand, but she still would not allow him and he wanted to cry along with her in frustration.

_"Tell me please!" _he pleaded again. She whimpered through her hands and gagged a little, still seeming like she wanted to hide it, but yet wanted to get it out. He could tell she was struggling with the answer and he wished more than anything that she would tell him so that he could fix it.

_"I-I…" _she started to stutter, but only broke off into more tears.

Imhotep leaned closer to her in desperation, brushing the hair away from her covered face. _"You what?"_ he asked, very concerned, his pulse racing. _By the Gods! What is the matter?_ he demanded in his mind. _This is all my fault!_

_"I-I think I-" s_he cut off and rapidly shook her head and sobbed with more intensity. _"I-I cannot! I am sorry!" _she cried through her hands.

_"Sorry?"_ he asked, totally taken aback. What had she wanted to tell him? What was she holding back?

_"I-I did not mean to cause you so much trouble last night and to worry you so…" _she lied, hiding what was growing in her heart, _"I-I…"_

Imhotep reached out and gently touched her hands, causing Anck-su-namun to freeze and stop her apologies. He could not understand why she was sorry, but knew she was lying about something and it pained him that she did so. It made him yearn to tell her even more.

Anck-su-namun finally allowed him to lower her hands, but she cast her eyes down toward her covered legs, tears trickling down her face and causing it to glisten in the morning's light. She could not look at him. His lips parted and he began to speak, losing control over himself in his desire to help her.

_"Anck-su-namun…I-"_

Before either could say anymore, the door to Anck-su-namun's chambers suddenly began to open. Both of their heads shot to the doorway in sheer panic and Imhotep leapt up from Anck-su-namun to make some distance between them just as a Med-jai warrior stepped into the room, one which Anck-su-namun recognized as the protector of Princess Nefertiri.

She held her breath, her body feeling numb with fear, except for her pounding heart. What would happen next could mean the end or the rest of her life and she prayed that this man would not be as vengeful as the one he guarded. _Please let him not suspect anything_, she pleaded to any god that would listen, if they did indeed exist. After last night, she was no longer so sure and she clutched tightly to the sheets, which wrapped around her, shrinking back into her bed.

Imhotep seemed much calmer than he had a moment ago about the whole thing, as not an emotion showed upon his entire face and he stood tall with a confident and powerful air, captivating Anck-su-namun for some mysterious reason as she gazed upon him, beginning to wish she could possess such an ability herself, to mask out everything, to keep her own secrets safe within her.

As she watched, she longed to know what was going on behind those eyes of his; his entire look gave him a mystery, which drew her in more and more and she knew now that she should not worry. He would protect her. He would keep his word, like all his others.

Imhotep looked to the med-jai, as if waiting for him to speak. In his mind he tried to decipher just what his friend's intensions were. He thought back to the sound the previous night in the halls and his anger rose. He cursed himself for being so careless. He should have investigated everything, by now it could be too late. Why? Why had he been so stupid? If they had indeed been seen, then this encounter would not be so pleasant and his friend would not just be giving him an angry warning. It seemed he had lost his senses along with his heart.

Asim had at least cut him off before he had poured his heart out, Anck-su-namun may still be safe, but if she was not, he would never forgive himself.

Asim remained silent in the passing moments, looking from Imhotep to Anck-su-namun suspiciously. He could have sworn he had seen his friend holding her once again. The situation seemed more complicated than he had first thought. He took a deep breath, why did this have to happen?

Anck-su-namun began to not feel so well in the passing seconds. The silence was driving her mad. What if this was beyond Imhotep's control to protect her as he had promised? They would both be dead…She fought back the pains she was getting in her chest from her overpowering fear as the color began to leave her face. _Please let everything be alright! Let Imhotep get us out of this!_

At that moment, the Med-jai's eyes settled upon the High Priest. He looked at him sternly, as if giving a warning with his eyes and spoke.

_"We must speak…"_ said Asim in a way, which gave Anck-su-namun chills to her very soul. _He knows_, she thought with dread.

_"Very well…,"_ nodded Imhotep, _"I will meet you beyond the doors…"_ he replied impassively. Asim only hardened his gaze, but nodded in acceptance and exited the room as Imhotep turned to retrieve his robes from the settee. He brought his eyes up to Anck-su-namun's.

_"You have my word I will protect you…You have nothing to fear,"_ he whispered to her as he was bending to pick it up. She nodded nervously back to him, still not so sure, tears in her eyes.

_"I will return when I can and we may speak so more, if you wish."_

_"I would like that very much,"_ she whispered, barely audible.

Imhotep smiled softly, his heart reveling in her answer. How he wished he could stay longer. He felt he was leaving a part of himself. He prayed that he would still see her again, for all he knew, this could be the last time and that thought made his heart break.

_"If you wish to speak with me sooner, you know where to find me. I am most always at the temples,"_ he said quietly.

_"I am sure I will be fine, but I will send for you if need be…"_ she answered, _"Thank you…"_

Imhotep grinned at her with sadness in his eyes and started to lift his fingertips toward her cheek to caress her soft skin one last time, to remember her, he just could not help it, but stopped midway.

_"Forgive me…"_ he whispered and stood up, wrapping his robe around him before he told her. _"I must leave and straighten this out, but everything will be alright, Anck-su-namun…I promise you…"_

He gazed upon her one last time and then turned for the double doors. Anck-su-namun watched him walk the whole way until he had exited the room and a feeling of emptiness washed over her. She was alone…but the sound of him saying her name rang in her mind.

_"Imhotep…"_ she breathed as a tear rolled past her cheek and she pulled the covers up to her chin. Tears filled her eyes, expressing her sorrow. He had been gone nearly two seconds and yet she missed him already. She had never realized how alone she actually was until now. For the first time someone had reached her, connected with her and she longed for his return…If that were possible…All she could do was pray…

Outside the doors, Imhotep and Asim stood. The halls were empty as Anck-su-namun was on the far side of the palace meant for only Seti's concubines. The two of them were silent for the longest while, as neither knew what to say, but both knew what was coming no matter who spoke first. Asim finally broke the silence, bringing forth what they did not to be said.

_"Imhotep, I know what happened last night,"_ said Asim slowly with sadness and worry in his eyes. He had no idea what to do about this.

_"I do not know what you mean,"_ replied Imhotep, looking his friend in the eyes and playing dumb. Asim shook his head in amazement. He had figured that Imhotep would try avoid the subject.

_"I saw you and the pharaoh's new mistress in the corridors last night, you cannot deny it…I saw it all…My Friend." _He went silent, watching for Imhotep's reaction, but his look remained empty, emotionless, even at this.

Imhotep searched his thoughts for what to do. He was a bit relieved by the fact it had only been Asim that had caught them, but he still could not risk revealing his love, not even to his dearest friend. He had to think of how to handle this, convince Asim that last night had been nothing, but he felt that that task would prove more difficult.

Asim looked at Imhotep in concern, trying to figure him out. He had to know. It had certainly seemed as though his friend had fallen in love, but he had to find out for himself, be absolutely certain. After that, the trick would be to find out just what had happened between the two of them…He prayed that Imhotep had not done anything he would regret, he would hate to see anything happen to him, especially over one of Seti's.

_"You love her do you not?" _he asked, breaking Imhotep's thoughts.

Imhotep's eyes nearly bugged at this and his jaw dropped, as his arms shot to his sides in pretend shock, a scoff escaping his lips.

_"LOVE? My dear, Asim, have you lost your mind?"_

Asim only shook his head and gave a stern look, even while a smirk was held across his face, _"Do not play dumb with me, My Friend. I have known you far too long to know when you are lying. What I saw last night was surely love. You have fallen in love with one of Seti's whores and you cannot try to tell me otherwise!"_

_"Asim, you could not be farther from the truth! She was hurt and needed my help. It is my duty as a priest to do such things."_

_"I do not think that when the gods gave out the duties for the priesthood that they did included holding and touching one as you did in those halls, especially one that is forbidden! Had I not knocked over that planter last night when I had, you would have surely kissed that little wench_!"

Fury shot through Imhotep at a level he could almost not contain and he forcefully grabbed Asim by the shoulders, shoving him up against the wall and holding him by the throat. He was furious, burning. He had never before laid a hand on anyone in anger, especially his dearest friend. His mind was whirling with rage, nearly out of control. How could he call her such a thing? All his anger and frustration from the night before and the fact that he could not be with Anck-su-namun came flooding out at abnormal rates. He could not take it anymore. He would show him once and for all he did not love her, he had to protect her and he would teach his friend a lesson in the process.

He brought his face close to Asim's and glared into his eyes menacingly, his eyes like daggers, piercing the soul, every rational thought was gone from his mind.

_"If you knew you me as you say you do, My Friend, then you should know that I would not betray my king, nor the gods for some lowly whore of Thebes, especially one belonging to our pharaoh! I think it best you learn to decipher compassion from love, you have been with Nefertiri far too long! It is obvious that the neglecting of your duties has taken its toll!"_

Imhotep pulled Asim away from the wall and then shoved him back against it as hard as he could, causing a crack to form in the stone. He growled in vehemence and released his grasp upon his throat, turning with blazing eyes, he walked off down the halls before he did anything else, cringing that he had had to say such things about Anck-su-namun, but it had been the only way to show his friend and he hated himself for it.

Asim was left holding his neck, sliding to the floor, coughing and gasping for the air, which he had been robbed of him. Perhaps he had been mistaken?

Unknown to Imhotep and Asim, the doors to Anck-su-namun's chambers had not closed all the way and she had heard the entire conversation down to each horrifying last drop.

She lay in her bed, sobbing even harder than she had even the night before, her heart aching beyond anything humanly imaginable, and she wanted to be sick. Millions of questions with no answer filled her troubled mind.

How could he have said such things? Why? Last night he had said that she was not a whore and should not think herself as one, and now he was calling her that and worse and just when she had begun to trust him and even-

Anck-su-namun screamed and cried even more, her every despair flooding the room. Her other fear was now a reality, she had thought that she had blocked it out, stopped it from happening and that it had only been a fear of hers, but…it was too late, it had happened and she was scared to death. She had fallen in love with him, totally and completely. He had stolen her heart.

She looked down at her nightgown and touched her cheek where he had caressed it earlier as she cried. It just wasn't fair! Just when she had thought that he had loved her, truly cared, she hears him say such things! A lowly whore! Her heart wrenched, she felt like she was dying.

Oh how she wished that Anubis would strike her down right there, make all the pain vanish forever. Perhaps if she could feel nothing, be void of love and emotion of any sort, she would be free of all hurt and suffering, she would not have to fear Seti, and most importantly, she would not have to worry about placing Imhotep's life in danger. Yes, if she could feel nothing, then in some way she would be free…free of all this, this endless Hell.

_"I-I hate my life!" _she cried in between gasps for air and tiny coughs, becoming hysterical and unable to contain her cries at all. She was becoming dizzy from the intensity and her head throbbed.

How could she let herself do this? She had never wanted to fall in love, that was something not meant for her and she had accepted that long ago. So why did she let herself become attracted to a man like that, have feelings for, and let into her heart? She had only set herself up to get hurt. She should have known better than to think that someone would actually have a love for her. The world was a terrible place and nothing was ever what it seemed. If her own parents had not even wanted her, how could she have thought that Imhotep had? She hated herself for it. She was a fool and probably deserved it all. Yes, she deserved all she got for being so stupid!

Deep inside a part of her was trying to tell her that he may have said it to convince the guard, but it had sounded and felt so real that she found it nearly impossible to listen. How she wanted Imhotep to have lied to him; wanted to be with him, but there were so many conflicting emotions within her that she also did not and she was terrified by them all beyond belief.

She let out an even louder cry and coughed from the severity, screaming from the physical pain that it caused her as she grabbed her stomach.

Oh why was her heart aching so for him to love her so when the rest of her was against it? Why couldn't she decide? It was her own self, her own decision, her mind, her will, why was the answer so hidden from her? Why couldn't she know what she wanted anymore? She hated Seti! She felt like ripping out her heart and screaming at it for an answer. What had happened to her? What did he really feel? What did she feel? She did not know anything anymore!

Anck-su-namun threw the blankets off of her as hard as she could and tried to tear the gown off that he had placed on her in a fit of hurt and rage. She was completely lost to everything, but it caused her so much physical pain that she could not get it off and fell against her pillow crying and holding her stomach.


	9. Chapter Eight: Warnings

**Chapter Eight**

"Warnings"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

Asim hit the floor with a slight jolt after sliding against his back down the wall in a slow decent. His left leg gave way on him upon impact and limply fell out in front of him, while he struggled to remain balanced upon the other, which was pulled up against his sputtering chest. 

The wall was cold against his skin, but he hardly took notice as his head spun with such progression that he felt on the verge of losing all consciousness. The base of it throbbed with an all-consuming pain from the impact of the shove and his shoulder blades pierced him with nearly the very same agonies as his head, shooting all throughout his back in continuous formation.

His newly released throat still felt as if it were being squeezed by Imhotep's hand, a nearly tangible, suffocating sensation, like a vice of death upon his throat, ever tightening.

His Adam's apple felt lodged within his windpipe as a huge, agonizing knot in his throat, sending tears to his eyes as the muscles of his neck were afflicted with uncontrollable spasms at every new attempt at his fight for breath; however, they refused to relax from their recent trauma, no matter how hard he struggled to force them otherwise.

It seemed the harder he tried, the less air he got, sending him into desperate fits of coughing from the lack of oxygen in his lungs and very soon bringing with it nearly suffocating gags to contribute to the endless cycle. His very esophagus began to feel as if it would collapse on him at any moment if his fits did not end very soon and sweat perspired from his brow.

His face was hot and flushed, nearly burning to his skin and his temples throbbed like two beating drums within his skull. His very body felt as if it were against him. He needed air and he needed it soon for his very lungs burned with the intensity of the sun.

Cries encircled him through the halls. At first he was not fully able to distinguish them from his own, but he soon became aware of the difference as they emanated from the door of Anck-su-namun, rising and falling in volume and strength.

At this, Asim's breathing became slightly more controlled as he concentrated on them, helping his mind focus on something other than his current state.

Her cries sounded like a distant echo at first, nearly undetectable to him, almost as if they were a part of another world, but he concentrated harder, centering his thoughts, despite his body's want of giving in. He could not let go, he had to get his breaths under control, or he would surely pass out from asphyxia.

* * *

Very quickly, Anck-su-namun's screams rose more and more, seeming as if they were creeping closer to him with every passing second, as his own breaths began to come with more ease, his throat muscles finally taking a dormant state within. He let out gasps of gratefulness at the all too sweet feeling air, as it once again filtered into his lungs, but his coughing still seemed to continue on. 

Imhotep had not moved once he had made it to the next corridor, leaning himself against the wall with closed eyes, and his head downcast in deep reflection. His chest slowly heaved up and down with the tremendous weight of sorrow he held within him as endless, enigmas filled his every waking thought. The cries of Anck-su-namun and the wheezing gasps of Asim were unable to draw his attention, as he remained in this state, seeming as nothing more than mere background noise, drowning out as if they did not even exist.

Slowly his eyes opened and his expression was that of a blank, hypnotic state, detached of anything to signify the person that he had once been. For now, all that could be beheld within his eyes was the pure deprival of his identity, the sheer loss of his very reality. The world, which now surrounded him no longer felt as his own; values, ideas, relationships, and even right and wrong, now seemed blurred from what they had once been. He had been misplaced from what was familiar and accepted to him, sent into a new world of confusion and change with the impossibility of attaining any answers for any of it, save one: He was no longer the same man that he had once been, changed heart and soul.

It sent him completely beside himself that only a night had passed since his first stirrings for Anck-su-namun had occurred and the terrible events that had followed. All things seemed like so much, for so short a time, making it hard to grasp that everything was actually true. For only a day before, had he awakened as he always had, done as he had always done; most certainly never expecting something as this to occur.

* * *

As the High Priest, Imhotep's duties were many. Per Seti's orders, he was not only High Priest to Osiris, but also Seti's personal vizier; chosen over many promising individuals for his excelling abilities in mathematics, medicine, and leadership. The Pharaoh had been impressed by Imhotep's hard work, dedication, and obedience to him, considering him his most trusted subject in all of Thebes. 

Due to the Pharaoh's liking of him, he also served as political overseer to the temples of Thebes and Hamunaptra, the magical rites, and any and all religious ceremonies. In this way, he not only had pleased his pharaoh, but his god, Osiris, being entrusted with the sacred text held within the black _Book of the Dead_ as a show of gratitude by the god, thus being dubbed _"The Keeper of the Dead"_ and his psychic abilities were also a part of this reward.

Imhotep had served night and day, catering to all the needs that his kingdom required for the glory of Egypt and his pharaoh. Not once had he ever questioned the personal decisions and methods of his king; he may not have agreed with all of them, but he had never turned away from carrying any of them out. It had been his life's path, his duty, and his desire to bring glory to Egypt as so he had been taught throughout his life and had promised to utilize always to his father as he had parted from this world.

However, all that was now changed. He was now in love with the personal concubine of Pharaoh Seti I, the most beautiful and forbidden woman ever imaginable, whom he had wrongfully dared to touch, while longing to do so much more, all the while knowing the consequences for his actions, but still falling in love with her nonetheless.

On top of all that, he found himself having desires to strangle the very life from his pharaoh for what he had done to his love, Anck-su-namun, and furthermore, his best friend, Asim, now lay in a hacking heap within the halls just around the corner from him and all because of a last minute attempt at protecting the one his heart now cried for against his every desperate plea to ignore.

Asim, the man whom he would have confided in with his deepest and most personal concerns, or thoughts, whom he would have trusted with his very life and vice versa, was now someone he had to hide the innermost desires of his heart from, for he could never fully trust him with the truths he held within him.

The fact that there was actually something he could not trust his friend with placed Imhotep even deeper into his personal state of Limbo. He no longer had anyone to truly confide in. He was completely and utterly alone, for even the gods had refused to answer his cries.

There was not a doubt in his mind, that things between him and Asim would never be the same again…but hopefully his friend would now leave him alone about this whole situation…For he did not know what type of action he would take were he ever to be confronted by him again in such a manner, he had learned that from his recent actions in the hall, and hurting his dear friend was the last thing he ever wanted to do again.

However, all of that was not the worst of it. He was not only betraying his pharaoh, his home, his duty, his father, and his best friend, he was betraying Osiris, his sacred promises to be faithful and loyal to him and all for Anck-su-namun's personal protection.

Why he loved her so much drove him mad to find the answer, but none ever came. It was more puzzling than that of solving the riddle of the Sphinx for the first time, but somehow he felt deep within him that he wanted to be with her more than anything else, making all this somehow seem not to matter.

She made him feel complete within, breathing life into his very soul for the first time when he had looked into her eyes. He wanted to protect her, be with her, love her, tell her everything about himself and in turn learn everything about her. There was no denying any of it, his heart, his soul was hers. It made him wonder if perhaps the gods had intended for this to happen?

_

* * *

"I HATE THIS LIFE!" shot from out of Anck-su-namun's door, making Imhotep jolt back from the recesses of his mind and sending his heart into a mad panic as he fought to relax from the shock. _

_"Anck-su-namun?"_ he whispered and turned his head back in the direction it came from. What was she crying for? When he had left her, she had been fine. Was she having more memories of Seti?

He tried to resist the urge to look back around the corner to her door, feeling pulled to her. He couldn't. Asim was still there, if he were to see him…

_"WHY?"_

At this, Imhotep did not have time to think, his head instantly shot around the corner to her door the second he heard her cry out again. He felt a need to run to her, hold her, but restrained himself from doing anything else. _I mustn't!_ he quickly reminded, but he saw that Asim was not paying any attention and returned his gaze to her door without further thought, but when he did, his face paled and his very breath ceased at the sight he saw before him.

The door to Anck-su-namun's room was open… 

Imhotep pulled himself back against the wall and stared straight ahead. His breath shallow and his eyes wide as his lips remained apart, while the rest of his body went into a complete paralysis over this new discovery.

How could that be? He had closed it! Hadn't he? What had he said anyway? He had been so furious at Asim's comments that he had just snapped. Things had just seemed to come from out of nowhere, flying past like the desert sands in a storm.

Flashes of what had occurred in the hall suddenly returned to him: His hand on Asim's throat, his friend helplessly looking back into his eyes with a blank, nearly unsurprised stare. He remembered how he was just so desperate to get Asim to believe him at any cost due the rage he had felt from the words, which Asim had used towards Anck-su-namun…_ "…that little wench!" _and _"…one of Seti's whores…"_

Imhotep's breath instantly caught, as nearly did his heart. He paled even further and could only remain staring straight ahead. Had the wall not been propping him up, he would have surely fallen back.

_"Oh Lord Osiris! No! I said- She heard-"_ he stammered, not wanting to believe it, his shocked stare not giving an inch, in fact, progressing even further.

He pleaded in his mind for it not to be so, but it was. He remembered, he remembered it all. The words he had used, the tone, the very anger that had filled his voice during every second of it. He had called her exactly what Asim had, the very word that had inflicted him with the rage to begin with, and Anck-su-namun had heard it…

_"Oh, Anck-su-namun…No…I am so sorry…"_ he whispered at last, his face falling into his hands with guilt. _"You cry because of me…not of Seti…"_

Imhotep remained holding his face within his hands, frozen, as the very ground that he stood on felt ripped away from him, his heart felt barren and torn. Guilt filled him, not leaving a single area of his being untouched by its damnation and regret for saying something that he could never take back accompanied it with great eagerness. What he had said would probably never erase from her memory; he had truly hurt her.

All he could see before him were images of the hall and all he could hear was the sound of Anck-su-namun. He could see in his mind her face, her tears, which fell over him. His mind filled with the words he had used, and the sight of Anck-su-namun crying as hard as she had the previous night over Seti. Seti…he had made her cry as hard as Seti had…

_"WHY?"_ shot through the halls from Anck-su-namun's room once again, seeming to encompass the very air around him, trapping him within it as if the agony within her was embodied within the sound of her cries as a physical force, combining with Imhotep's to apply more suffering. It wrenched at his heart, causing him to shoot his head up at the sound, his hands remaining in a cupped position in front of him. His eyes filled with tears and red, as was his face from want of crying, but the tears did not fall.

This could not be happening. He did not want to believe it, it almost felt as if some nightmare, something as this could never be! The words he had said came back to him more and more, but a singular phrase rang out the loudest in his mind. _"…some lowly whore of Thebes."_

The more he heard it, the more that his anger grew toward himself for his lack of control. Why had he let his temper run away with him? Never had such a thing happened before. His very thoughts had just been overcome with an indescribable wrath, taking over his entire being. It was like this hidden part of himself waking up and gaining complete control for the first time, a part he had never known. The very idea frightened him that such a thing could be possible, but at the moment his main concerns were elsewhere.

What he had done in order to help her was not worth the pain that he had inflicted, making him mad to drive his very fist into the wall behind him. _How could I have done that? _was the only question, which he could ask himself and his anger made him feel completely powerless, as it was directed at himself for something he could have prevented had he held his tongue, which only intensified all his emotions.

He felt his every limb filling with an overpowering adrenaline, as he was so sick with guilt to the very pit of his soul. He started to pace back and forth, his mind racing. A phrase he had been taught as a child while his father had been training him for the priesthood rang in his mind as if he were scolding him from the great beyond, "People bring about their own undoing through their tongues."

He shook his head at the irony held within the old temple proverb. Never had he thought that such a thing could be more true and it brought a sardonic smirk to his lips, the right side pulling up at how perfectly it fit to his situation.

He wished more than anything that he have chosen his words more carefully, no matter what he was trying to prove, or whether he thought that she could not hear him. What he had said was something she did not deserve, in ANY way.

It seemed no matter how much he wished to help her, he ended up only hurting her further, but what was he to do? He could not go back, not now, Asim still lay in the hall. This whole thing was his fault. He should have checked that damn door, he should have controlled what he'd said, he should have done anything other than what he had done, no matter how angry he had become.

Imhotep's attention was drawn back to Anck-su-namun as she started to let out some coughs, sounding as if she were in great pain from the severe amount of crying she had been doing. He cringed, pausing for only a second in his pacing and bringing a hand up to his forehead before closing his eyes and continuing in his step.

_I am so sorry, Anck-su-namun…Gods, why? Why do you punish her? _he demanded to know in his mind, but no answer came, as expected and he circled faster in the small area around him.

He threw his arms out to the sides in frustration, his eyes opening. Could this be some sort of punishment for his heart's betrayal? But if that were so, then why in all of Egypt would the gods allow such a love to be in the first place? Could it be his heart was not meant for her as he had previously thought?

He growled and shook his head. He was at a loss, unable to give himself any answers. He refused to believe that the gods would truly make her suffer because of his transgressions, but what if his caring for her was some punishment to begin with?

No. He could not comprehend the idea of the gods doing such a thing. With all he knew and with all he'd been taught, it did not make any sense. The gods were helpful and benevolent beings, and he could not fathom the idea of how they could let such a thing befall some perfect gift as Anck-su-namun. The great Hathor would never allow such a thing to pass unless it was meant to be so.

At that, Imhotep had decided, and he had found his answer. He and Anck-su-namun were meant for one another, or at least his heart was meant for her.

Suddenly, Asim's coughs were heard once again, bringing with them the all too familiar feeling of guilt to Imhotep for what he had done to his friend and the wrong that he had done by Anck-su-namun, as well as a barrage of "what ifs," had he done things differently. He knew things would be far better for all three of them if he had.

If he had taken Anck-su-namun to her room sooner, instead of letting his heart decide his every action and thought, Asim may have never spotted them in one another's arms, he would have never entered Anck-su-namun's chambers, and he certainly would have never interfered. That being so, the occurrence outside her room would have never been and what he'd done to Asim would never have taken place…And most importantly, he would still be in there…with her…

_"WHAT DID I EVER DO?"_

Imhotep grabbed his head and paced faster, breathing in deeply as his face tensed full of the emotions he was trying to control, but he had now lost all his resolve at hearing her question. There was nothing more he could do to fight it, he had to go and speak with her, regardless of the fact that if he did not leave now, questions as to his whereabouts would arise, for he was always on time to his duties, but to Sobek with everything else at the moment! Things had to be set straight, there was no way that he was going to leave her thinking such a god-awful thing about herself and that he truly believed that about her, she was exactly the opposite and so much more and if he had to, he would tell her exactly that if it meant making her happy.

Imhotep let his hands fall from his head and he peered around the corner. To his dismay and utter agony, Asim was still there, recovering as best he could.

_"Of course!"_ he said to himself, shaking his head with closed eyes.

He pulled himself back around the corner and looked ahead. He had to think. There had to be a way.

He suddenly peered back around again to his friend. He seemed to be recovering quite quickly now; his coughing had died down to almost nothing. Good. He would wait for him to leave and then sneak back into Anck-su-namun's chambers.

* * *

A loud clang was suddenly sent through the air, coming from outside the palace, but it sounded so loudly that it was no doubt heard throughout most of the vicinity of Thebes. If Imhotep had had any hair, he would have surely pulled it all out right then and there. 

_"NY! NOT NOW!"_ he cursed, throwing his arms out.

It was the gong from the temple of Osiris, signifying that it was now time to bring forth the temple offerings for the god and to begin the day's ceremonies.

As if things could not get any worse, Anck-su-namun screamed again and Imhotep found himself looking from the direction of the temples, back to the direction of her chambers and so forth with every new sound.

_"Why must you torment me?"_ he asked, staring down to the floor as if he were talking to Osiris himself in the underworld.

Imhotep's pacing started up again and Anck-su-namun continued to cry out from her room, of which Imhotep was feeling pulled to by the second, as if his heart were tied to hers and the rope was being shortened with every second, but the temple gong also continued to sound and Imhotep kept finding himself stepping back in that direction each time he was called to his duties, but then straight back to Anck-su-namun's when she would cry once again in an endless cycle.

At long last, the gong sounded for the tenth and final time and with all he had, Imhotep tore himself away from Anck-su-namun's direction and headed for the temple, while releasing an enraged growl and banging his fist into the wall as he stormed away with his robes flowing behind him.

* * *

Asim now stood in the halls, his strength mostly returned to him and his breathing now finally under control. He shook his head, looking down the hall to where Imhotep had last been. He had heard his friend's little outbursts and the loud punch to the wall he had administered. 

It was apparent that he had lied to him. There was not a doubt in Asim's mind that Imhotep cared for this woman and this thought worried him greatly. For Imhotep to be acting like this, to be risking so much, and even attack him, he had to care for Anck-su-namun even more than he had first feared and this made things a lot more difficult…and dangerous.

Anck-su-namun's voice called out again, but this time more quietly, breaking Asim's train of thought.

_"Why him? Hathor why? Why him?"_

Asim closed his eyes at this.

"Oh no…"_ he whispered. __As if things had not been bad enough. Anck-su-namun loved Imhotep as well…What in Horus' name was he to do? He was just a palace Med-jai; he wasn't made for this!_

Worry and frustration filled him even more and he looked to the door of Anck-su-namun. It remained open a crack, just as he had left it…

Imhotep had closed it, to his knowledge, but Asim had made sure that it had not fully closed when his friend had exited. He had placed a small piece of wood between the doors to act as a doorstop. It had been done as a precaution. He had known Imhotep would lie of his feelings for Anck-su-namun if he could lure him into saying the right thing, and he had wanted to make sure that the girl had heard, but he had not thought that it would cause such a reaction.

He felt guilty for performing such an action. He almost wondered if he was doing the right thing…He had only been trying to protect his friend…He had not figured on the girl becoming this upset over it, nor loving him, nor Imhotep saying such harsh words and loving her so much.

He sighed, as he remained looking at the door. What he had done was for the best, he had to remember that, no matter what his heart was telling him to do, but now there was more to be done…

Imhotep's outbursts from around the corner made him wary over whether Imhotep had seen the opened door, which meant that if he had, he was going to try to apologize to Anck-su-namun and that was something that Asim had to make sure never happened. He had to make sure that Imhotep did not even get a chance to apologize. Everything needed to be stopped, there and now.

As a Med-jai, his duty was to protect his Pharaoh, the palace, and the possessions of his Pharaoh. Whether he liked it or not, he had to keep Imhotep from Anck-su-namun and vice versa. She was not his to love and if his friend did not heed that fact, then he would have to do it for him before he got himself into further danger.

He shook his head, feeling sorry for the both of them. Why the gods had allowed such a thing to befall them, he could never fathom. His friend had actually fallen in love…and with the most forbidden woman in all of Upper and Lower Egypt. A mere brush against her hand could mean death to any man, but as luck would have it, she returned that love. Imhotep had never taken interest in any woman. Why did it have to be this one?

Asim shook his head once again, unbelieving this whole situation, almost afraid to believe it. Of all the people! These two had to choose one another! Not a more unlikely combination could have been created. The Pharaoh's most trusted High Priest and vizier, in love with the Pharaoh's personal mistress. Had Asim heard such a tale out of a story, he would have surely laughed. This all had to be some kind of sick joke.

Had it been anyone else his friend loved, Asim would have gladly let Imhotep be happy, even if he himself was not to be with anyone. Asim understood what it was like to be in love, but this he could allow…No matter what…he had to draw the line somewhere and he had to be true to his pharaoh.

Imhotep and Anck-su-namun were fortunate in one way. Had Asim caught anyone else in their situation, he would have turned them over in a heartbeat, but because Imhotep was his truest and oldest friend, he would keep hidden from all else what had occurred, even to his own love…

His own love…she too was forbidden…Death would most likely come to him for such a love…Every time he kissed her, looked at her, declared his love, and held her through the long and passionate nights they shared together, he risked his very life and the Pharaoh's trust.

It pained him to no end that he could not openly love Princess Nefertiri. He longed for nothing more than to make her his, be husband and wife, have a family with her, but with Seti as her father, that could never be.

She was a princess and he was her mere guard. He did not wish that pain for his friend…He had to stop the love that Imhotep was gaining for pharaoh's mistress within him before he could not turn away from it, before he suffered as he did and ran a risk even greater than himself.

Asim decided that he would have to show him how wrong this was, protect him, especially since being with the pharaoh's mistress would prove a lot easier to discover than his own affair with Princess Nefertiri.

Asim inhaled a deep breath, gathering his wits and courage. If this were to be stopped, Anck-su-namun was the only way. Imhotep would certainly never listen to him and Anck-su-namun already seemed to believe fully that Imhotep cared not for her in the least…Yes, she would be the easiest to dissuade.

He was risking a lot by doing this; that much was certain. There was no telling what would befall him were this ever to get out, but if it gave the chance of keeping his friend safe, he would jeopardize his position for him and him alone. He knew nothing of this concubine with whom Imhotep seemed to love so blindly, and so he cared not for what happened to her.

He did not have much against Anck-su-namun, other than the fact that she was a great threat to his friend's life and he was still not even fully sure if she was one, which could be completely trusted. He certainly knew that his own love did not find her very agreeable in any way, nor above suspicion.

He stepped towards the door, but paused. Aside from not knowing her, he truly did not want to do such a thing. She sounded pained enough as it was, but for the good of all Egypt, Imhotep's life, as well as her own, it had to be so. All he could do was pray that she would learn to endure from this and understand.

With that in mind, Asim pushed open the door, kicking the piece of wood out of the way and slipping into the room. As the door swung shut behind him, he could see Anck-su-namun lying in her bed, facing towards the wall, sobbing, and he mentally prepared himself with what he was to say.

* * *

The moment that the door had creaked open, Anck-su-namun's already pounding heart, did so even harder. She held her breath, her first thoughts being that it was Imhotep and she listened in trembling anticipation to the footsteps closing in on her from behind. 

Quickly she fought to wipe her face free of the incriminating evidence of her tears, which flooded still down her dampened cheeks, for she did not want him to see her in such a state, especially over him. Whatever had made him decide to return, she did not care to know. The last thing she needed and wanted at that very moment was to see him, but yet it was also the thing that she yearned for most in the world.

She opened her mouth to speak, holding back her tears well enough to blurt out exactly what was on her mind, but instead a simple command was shot from her lips. It was rather snappish and cold, mixed with a shaking, coarseness from all her cries and it surprised even her.

_"Go away!"_

The words pained her to no end that she could say such a thing to him, but not as much as the echoes of the words, which he had used in his anger about her.

_"We must speak, Anck-su-namun…"_ said a very unforgettable voice from only a few moments ago, the very sound of it sending chills unto Anck-su-namun, her earlier fears seeping back into her very core.

With as much strength as she could muster and a very painful effort, she turned to find the Med-jai standing before her once again.

Upon the sight of him, she could have sworn the very blood from her body had all been drained and the remaining color in her cheeks vanished along with it. Her only thought as this happened, being that Imhotep had not been able to convince the guard of anything…and this only made her want to cry again, anger and hurt flowing through her. It seemed that the only one that Imhotep had done such a splendid job of convincing, had been her…She almost wanted to laugh at the twisted irony of it all.

Anck-su-namun stopped at that…What was there really to fear? If he was here to kill her, then so be it! What did she have to live for in this life? She either could live out her existence at Seti's personally sex slave, being beaten, and miserable until he tired of her and then tossed aside to probably waste away in the streets of Thebes as a miserable slave or peasant, or she could be killed now and be free of his torments forever.

Imhotep had become her only hope, her only care in this life, and she had been a fool and let him capture her heart, only to find that he felt the same for her as did all the other occupants of the palace, only he seemed to express it with much more ferventness than all of them. There was nothing more for her to care about, not even her own life and she was absolutely certain that Imhotep did not care about that either.

_"Are you here to kill me?"_ she asked him bluntly.

Asim only looked at her, his face completely blank, but she could see a hint of sorrow held upon it, which made her wonder why he even bothered to care as he studied her, his eyes wandering over her face. Asim had not taken the chance earlier to truly get a good look at her.

He saw bruises and cuts upon her face. They were not very deep, but they still shone a bright red from their freshness and marked up most of her cheeks and other spots. The look in her eyes was cold, almost as if she had lost her very care for life and the ability to possess any love at all. She seemed a very different girl from what he had seen at the ceremony the night before and in her eyes, he noticed, she seemed older than she appeared, as if she had lived through something extremely terrible, which hauntingly remained mirrored within them, as a reflection of her experiences.

It sent a chill through Asim's very soul. Whatever Seti had done to her, he did not wish to envision, but the sight of her confirmed that the rumors of Seti were true…

He cleared his throat at last and spoke to her, _"The answer to that is up to you."_

_"How so?"_ asked Anck-su-namun blankly, not a drop of fear in her voice, which gave her an almost inhuman quality.

_"If you can promise to me that you will not go near the High Priest, that you will stay away from him as long as you are within the harem of the pharaoh, and remain in the arms of the one where you rightfully belong, I shall let you live…If not…"_ he said, trailing off with a suggestive note.

An almost bitter smile appeared on Anck-su-namun's lips and she seemed as if she wanted to laugh in his very face.

_"My dear, Med-jai, I can assure you with all the confidence in the world that nothing would make me wish to go near the High Priest. I could not care less about the situation, so do with me as you will, but know that you have my assurance that I will not go near him."_

Asim smiled back at her patiently, relieved in a way and yet also impressed. It appeared that Imhotep's little outburst in the hall had made this even easier for him than he had anticipated. It seemed his friend had dissuaded her all on his own…

His heart pulled slightly at that. If only she could know the truth about Imhotep's feelings for her…but it could not be so.

_"Whether that is true, or not, I cannot say, but know that if you wish for yourself, or Imhotep for that matter, to remain as you are, then you will keep your distance. Do not even speak, nor look at him, or Ahemait will be the last thing that you see, if you are fortunate…"_ he said, staring into her eyes with a very stern look, filled with warning.

Asim would not truly turn them in, at least not Imhotep. His only intent here was to frighten Anck-su-namun and by the long pause, which she held after his words, he figured that it had worked.

Satisfied, he straightened in his stance and gave one last warning to her.

_"I do hope that the next time that we meet, Mistress will not be under such dire circumstances…Good day…"_ he said and turned, heading for the door, and closing it all the way as he exited.

* * *

Anck-su-namun was again left alone in her chambers, so cold and empty, though the sun was shining full of life and exuberance into the room, but the appearance it gave was far from the actual vibes and memories that it truly exuded. 

She lay in her bed, sinking back down beneath the covers at last, remembering how Imhotep had so determinedly tucked her back in over and over. She stared down at them, pulled up to her chin…The care he had shown to her…it had been almost unreal, but then the words he had used followed, draining away all good he had done.

Why if Imhotep had so convincingly shown that he did not care for her, was this Med-jai so concerned over her going near the High Priest? Something did not set right with it all and it confused her even more. Her head was so filled with questions, ones that could never be answered, and with memories she would rather sooner forget, that her head was starting to spin.

She had been through so much and in so little a time. One blow after another and her head throbbed because of it and she longed more than anything to silence the voices in her head, but the more she tried, the more exhausted she became.

Anck-su-namun clutched the blankets in her hands and stared up at the tall ceiling above. The soft feel of the sheets only reminded her of the tender feel of Imhotep's hand…his very touch…but this only succeeded in bringing on more tears, causing her to clutch to the blankets even tighter.

She could not deny it, she still loved him somehow after hearing his hateful words and because of that, and only because of that, would she keep her word to the Med-jai. She would not go near Imhotep, speak with him, nor even look at him, not that she had any intentions to do so again anyway after his so outward display of distaste for her, but no matter what her mind told her about him on how she should feel, her heart ignored it at all costs from somewhere deep within and that other part of her, the sensible part, wanted to strangle her for it.

She felt like two halves, fighting for dominance over herself, trying to toss the other aside, but if that were to happen, she could not truly be whole. She would only be a shadow, a mirrored reflection, or a half of who she was, having to lock the other side away in order to go on without any inner conflicts over right and wrong. She was truly torn.

She closed her eyes, squeezing out her last remaining tears and they dripped down her cheeks. Yes, she would do this for Imhotep. Though he felt for her like all the rest, she did not wish for him to die because of something to do with her and her heart felt too strongly for him to truly hate him. In a way, she did not blame him for his words.

With those thoughts, Anck-su-namun turned, tilted her head and looked out to the balcony. Her eyes were shiny from her tears and red rimmed, but she no longer had within her the power to cry. She stared blankly out to the ledge. It was an awfully long way down; it was a pity that she could not get up…


	10. Chapter Nine: Regrets

**Author's Note: **To clear up any confusion, the Egyptian's week contained ten days instead of seven, and the Epagomenal was the birthdays at the of the year for these gods and goddess': Osiris, Horus, Seth, Isis, and Nephthys. Jen

**

* * *

**

Chapter Nine

"Regrets"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

The end of the year was approaching fast, signaling the nearing of the Epagomenal, the most lavish of celebrations in the kingdom of Egypt. Each new sunset that was brought forth by the gods, marked yet another day closer to this glorious and highly anticipated festivity, as well as another day in their lives now lost eternally to the valleys of the past. 

For the Egyptians, life was spent mostly to please these gods, which ruled them, in order to ensure that a safe and gratifying existence would be bestowed upon them, once life within their mortal realm had come to a close, and because of this, Pharaoh Seti I, had given strict orders that all be flawless in the preparations for the festivities surrounding the Epagomenal, if only to ensure his place amongst the gods.

Now, all of Egypt strived towards the perfection that their pharaoh, their god on Earth, expected of them, ranging from members of the priesthood, to common slaves and peasants, and because of this there was a flurry of near chaotic activity, buzzing about in the temples and city of Thebes.

Whether a temple of Osiris, or one of Horus, everyone had a task and role to play in these preparations, leaving Imhotep, High Priest of Osiris, caught in the midst of it all.

Great stress was needed to be emphasized on every detail for these preparations, and Imhotep needed to be available at all times for the approval and overseeing of just about every intricate part of it. He had literally found himself confined to the temples all throughout the daylight hours for nearly the past week, and oftentimes, even late into the dark and restless nights.

For Imhotep, overindulgence in his duties had always been the norm, especially in times, such as these, and so, all those surrounding him took no notice to the abnormal behaviors of which he displayed, but in all truths, Imhotep's complete submergence in his duties was no longer for pleasing his pharaoh, or even for that of the gods he served. Now it was nothing more than a conveniently planned distraction from what truly weighed upon his heart: Anck-su-namun.

He had decided from that day, in which he had been summoned away from the scene of his heathen acts by the commandeering gongs of the temples, that his duties would have to be his only sanctuary from himself and the ever strengthening desires of his now unpredictable heart. Only by submerging himself completely into every task he could possibly think of, could he ever hope to discover the key to finding his ever-evasive salvation, for he had learned rather quickly that it was the only way...

A part of him longed to give into his desires, to stray; to allow himself to think of nothing, but her, condemned by his actions, or not...but he knew these were all foolish fantasies...and they would have to remain just that.

However, the moments, and nights in which Imhotep was freed from his mundane duties, it seemed as though the hours would inch past with slow, agonizing monotony, which felt to him, as though time itself were stopping, if only just for him in an ironic twist, for life around him seemed busier than ever.

During this time, he would become trapped within his own thoughts; the same images every time repeating in his mind like some daily ritual to the gods that needed to be recited. Anck-su-namun was becoming his world; a part of him. She consumed him, heart and soul. Every one of his senses seemed to be bending the barriers of the reality, which no longer touched him, in order to make him feel her very essence no matter where he turned. It seemed there was nothing in all of the gods' creations that would not and did not fill him with the bittersweet memories of her.

On those lonely, restless nights, the thoughts of her were so intense, so vivid, that sleep would not claim him, no matter how exhausted his body was. In his silence, she haunted him, as did his regrets for what he had done. Whether his eyes were shut, or left open wide, she was everywhere; in everything. There was nothing in which he could not find her.

The golden sunsets reminded him of her soft and radiant skin, now marred by Seti's lascivious hands, yet still grasping wholly to the ethereal beauty it possessed. The blackness of the nights brought back the memories of her long and silken hair, which he could clearly feel still entwined around his long fingers. The waters of the Nile glistened like that of the tears, which had flowed from the darkened pools of her deep eyes, yet entrancing his soul like the sight of her. The sweet scent of her clung strongly to the robes, which he wore from that night, and oftentimes, he could swear that he the breeze carried with it the song of her voice.

When inside his chambers at night, Imhotep would circle the small rug beside his bed, contemplating over what to do, over Anck-su-namun's health, reliving still what he had said, and just how much longer it would be until he saw her once again.

His pacing was relentless, and most often, the room would begin to feel confining to him, like a cage he was trapped inside, causing him to leave on long walks in the middle of the night.

He would wander aimlessly through the gardens, walk past the banks of the Nile, but none seemed to soothe him, and he would always end up at a statue of Bastet below the balcony of Anck-su-namun's chambers.

Unfortunately, quite a few of the priests within the temple of Osiris, with whom worked closely with Imhotep, had taken notice to their High Priest's newly acquired nocturnal activities... This new restlessness of his was unsettling to them.

He was now impatient with numerous of his priests, and workers, even unable to hold his temper at even the slightest of incidents and constantly on edge. Imhotep was their leader, the sole overseer of the temples and he seemed, as if he did not know what was going on right in front of his face, and as a result, things at the temples were beginning to fall behind schedule, causing much unrest inside the priesthood and much talk...

Imhotep had tried, as much as possible to speak with Anck-su-namun during the week. He had needed to try to find a way to gain her forgiveness for what had transpired between them, but the few times he had managed to escape his duties, Anck-su-namun herself had found some way of driving him from her; avoiding him at all costs.

Three times he had been able to go to her, only to be informed by her two servants that she was still in need of more rest, or conveniently "sound asleep." They had refused to let him even pass into the room, as if his rank and power were meaningless to them.

These refusals had driven him mad, for Anck-su-namun was so close to him, just held beyond his reach by two thick, golden doors. They felt like a barricade, an impenetrable wall between him and his beloved that by no means could he get through, and despite the nearness of Anck-su-namun, to Imhotep it felt as though she were becoming farther by the second.

Each time he had been at those doors, the sight of them had caused him to feel an overwhelming pull, one which plagued him to barge straight through into her chambers. The draw was so powerful that it took all his strength and willpower to keep from collapsing into his wishes, for he swore he could feel her presence within the room, calling to his very soul.

As he had stood there, the two servants standing watch over the doors, had reminded him of Sef and Tau, the lions who diligently guarded the gates to the Realm of Osiris asking the wary soul the single question, "Who is this?" If the soul answered correctly by citing the correct verse from the Book of the Dead, they would successfully be let to pass and continue on to the next test.

However, not every soul would be lucky enough to know this answer...and Imhotep felt as one of those less fortunate souls. One who would forever be forbidden from its paradise, left to wander the deserts for all eternity with the growing agonies on his soul from being kept from the light, all the while feeling his sanity slowly drifting from him, while his thirsting desires to break free of the Hell he had fallen into only increased with malign vigor.

To Imhotep these forces already felt hard at work, eating away at his very sanity and patience, as he was kept from Anck-su-namun, but instead of two lions before him, it was two middle-aged women, and the paradise that he was seeking was Anck-su-namun.

It was almost ironic in a way, he had thought while looking at the whole situation through his frustrations. Here he was, a man of his stature, his power, the High Priest of Osiris, and far above the importance of two measly servants for a concubine of Pharaoh Seti I, and he was being denied entrance into a single room.

But, he had known anger would have done him no good, and so, he had fought off his fury for the sake, and only the sake of the one he loved, remaining at the mercy of the servants before him, swallowing his pride, and accepting their words, as best he could, as exasperating as it was. For the last thing that he wanted was to endanger her by his arrogant and foolish actions.

It was on the third and final visit that Imhotep had caught of glimpse of Anck-su-namun sitting alone by the balcony within her chambers, and at that point, his pain had gone completely beyond comprehension.

He had only seen her briefly through the cracked doorway with which the servants had so generously allowed, as a means of speaking to him, but it had been long enough. Their attempts at trying to keep him from seeing her had failed...and it was also on that visit, that the servants had so kindly informed him that Anck-su-namun "was fast asleep..."

Imhotep's heart had almost wanted to cease its beating the moment he had seen her and had heard those deceitful words from the "keepers of Anck-su-namun," which had burned upon his ears, as a sickening, empty sensation had taken hold of his being, but somewhere inside of him he had refused to give in. He could not. It was a blessing from the gods that he was so strong-willed a man, as he was, for he would have given up all hope right then and there, had it not been for that. He had also never been the kind of man to just let go of something he truly believed in, especially with all his heart, and his heart now belonged completely to Anck-su-namun.

And so, as great as the pain had been that final visit, Imhotep had forced as kind a smile as his breaking heart would allow to the two women, and thanked them, just as he had the two times previous, while asking them to please tell Anck-su-namun how he wished her full recovery and well-being, before turning away down the halls to the life in, which he lived to serve the gods and his Pharaoh.

* * *

As sunset was now upon the whole of Thebes, and another day in the Pharaoh Seti I's glorious kingdom was coming to its inevitable close, Imhotep was making his way to the dining hall, which was just ahead, from yet another tedious day at the temples. As he ventured for it, he hoped and prayed with everything inside him, that Anck-su-namun would be seen within. 

Tonight marked the tenth day in passing, since Anck-su-namun's evening with Seti, and so, by the law of the Pharaoh, it was a sufficient amount of time for recuperation. Imhotep had discovered this through some carefully hidden investigation. There was no doubt in his mind that Seti would be summoning her to his chambers once again...

Imhotep's bronzed and chiseled stomach tightened at that very thought. The image of his love with that man was unbearable, and he did not think that he could stand to witness what Seti would feel fit to do to her this time around…

He arrived at the doors to the dining hall, in which their intricate, golden lotus blossoms trailed up and down upon its massive surfaces. The hour was still early, and the room would most likely only be occupied by palace servants preparing for the evening's meal.

Though Imhotep had always preferred to arrive early for any event, in which he attended, his intentions for being so punctual on this particular night, were far different from any he had held before.

The soul purpose, after all, that Anck-su-namun was even allowed within the dining hall whatsoever, was so that she could tend to the Pharaoh by serving him by hand his food and drink, while acting as a decoration for the kingdom. She was not allowed to have her own seat, and forbidden to take anything for herself. She would have her meal elsewhere.

The Med-jai diligently standing guard outside the doors to t he dining hall, respectfully pulled them open for their High Priest, moving aside for him to enter. Imhotep did not even give them a single sign of recognition, not caring in the least if they remained there, or not, for the moment the doors had parted from one another, his dark eyes fell directly upon Anck-su-namun.

She sat alone, aside from her all too familiar servants, who protectively hovered upon either side of her. No one else within the room dared go within ten feet of the Pharaoh's Mistress, fearing her touch; her very beauty.

Her slender back, with it's delicate curve, was to him, as she was seated at the head of the table closest to where he stood. She sat beside the chair, which Seti would occupy and grace his personage with upon his arrival. The table was small, with two greatly larger ones running off either side of it, toward the opposite end of the room. But, the positioning of the table was the last thing on the High Priest's mind.

There were no words, which could describe the relief and joy he was feeling at seeing her merely sitting upright at an event such as this. Seeing her recovered to this state was a true blessing from the gods and Imhotep felt at last that his prayers had been heard...and carried out.

A small, thankful smile slowly found its way across his full lips, traversing up into his eyes. All he could do was stare at her, his lovely princess, feeling completely breathless and hardly believing that he was blessed enough to gaze upon her beauty once again at last. It was amazing how a woman, only her, could have such a power over his very soul. He realized in that moment that he had missed her very presence more than he had ever thought.

Deep within his beating chest, his heart panged from want of being nearer to her, to speak with her, but he found himself nearly afraid to approach her.

Would she not turn him away from her once again? He did not think his heart could bear it, especially knowing that any words of hers would be brought forth as ramifications of his saving her life.

Imhotep forced himself to take a step, but stopped only after it had begun.

He noticed suddenly the lustrous glow of her long, black hair, like the light of the rising sun. It appeared so soft, as though it were made of nothing, but pure silk. The way it rested gently upon her upper back, cascading over her bare shoulders, baited him to run his fingers through its tresses, in order to memorize its every softened feel, as she remained positioned upon her tiny stack of pillows, resting upon her knees. Her gentle hands lay upon the small, marooned sash, which wrapped around her curvaceous hips, barely managing to cover her front with how it dangled down from her waist. Her body was painted once again, nearly from head to toe in yet another intricately designed pattern, one which was Seti's favorite upon his chosen.

Imhotep found he was taken by the patterns, mesmerized by their detail and what little they left to the imagination, but at the same time, he wanted to cringe at the vileness of the one he loved had to be subjected to such a display.

Clanging came from the side of the room, yanking Imhotep away from the tranquil thoughts of Anck-su-namn.

Servants had dropped some dishes and were now avidly fighting over whose fault it was. He shook his head and quickly surveyed the rest of the area around him.

All the workers seemed preoccupied with their duties for the moment, or with the quarrel now taking place at the side of the room. No one would notice if he were to speak with Anck-su-namun.

He turned back to her and felt his heart reach speeds of an unnatural rate. He had to do it. If he did not apologize tonight, gods knew when he would ever get that opportunity again because of Seti's careful watch, and the Pharaoh would no doubt be arriving at any moment. No, he could not hold off any longer.

He gulped, taking a deep breath to try to calm his nerves and gathered his courage. With his entire body feeling shaky and suddenly drained of all energy, yet at the same time more energized than he had ever felt, Imhotep stepped up behind Anck-su-namun.

_"I wish to speak with the Pharaoh's Mistress privately over some religious matters to which she has previously asked me about,"_ he said rather coolly, his hands held together at his chest, as if in prayer. He appeared very respectable.

The two servants jumped as soon as he had spoken. He had approached so stealthily that neither had seen, nor heard him. It seemed that he had appeared out of nowhere. The poor women had to catch their breaths from the shock, as they turned to look at their High Priest.

_"Oh, High Priest,"_ said Olabisi with a bow, her hand on her chest to steady herself. _"Certainly, speak to her all you wish. We will leave you to your business, My Lord,"_ answered Olabisi, nodding her head in respect once more along with her companion to the High Priest, who nearly towered over them.

The ladies left and Imhotep was now left alone with Anck-su-namun. He noticed immediately that Anck-su-namun had stiffened in her sitting position; seeming anything, but relaxed. In fact, she appeared as though she were holding her breath, nor did she turn to look at him either, only stared straight ahead as a statue would. His fears heightened at this sight, and he wanted to fall to his knees and pour out his very soul to her, but he pushed the treacherous urges away before they threatened to condemn him any further, and sat himself in a chair to her left.

For a long while neither of them said a word. Anck-su-namun kept looking ahead, and Imhotep sat with his hands folded together upon the table, thinking about where to begin.

_"Anck-su-namun-"_

_"High Priest,"_ she answered, quickly, not even giving him so much as a glance.

Imhotep's lips remained opened from being cut-off so unexpectedly and he found himself holding his breath, completely thrown off balance by her sudden reaction. The way she had said it felt, as though ice had been shot into him and encased his soul to its core. How she could inflict such an emotion from only the tiniest of phrases was lost to him, but it made him burn to bring back the young woman he had fallen in love with not so long ago.

Imhotep quickly composed himself and gave a reminder that this was his only chance. Besides… the fact that she was allowing him to at least sit beside her could be some small sign of hope for her forgiveness.

_"There is no need to worry over mere titles,"_ he reminded her, _"I would prefer if you would call me by my name," _he said in an attempt to show her he thought of them as equals. He loved her so much, and if it were within his powers, he'd place her higher than the gods themselves to reveal that to her.

_"There are many things, which people prefer, that they do not receive...High Priest,"_ she said, adding in his title to prove her point.

She could almost not believe she had said that to him. The coldness within her voice was foreign, even to her. How she longed to use his name though, as he requested...but she had to fight these feelings. She could not forget what Asim had said to her, nor the words, which Imhotep had used.

Imhotep was dumbstruck, feeling like none of this could possibly be happening and that he was someone else watching some terrible event take place. In his mind, he tried to think of what to say; of how he could get her to see, or at least listen to his words, but her refusals to call him by his name made him feel, as though all hope was lost to Ahemait. Gaining her trust was proving harder than it had upon their meeting in the halls...

He continued to search himself to his very core for some answer, some course to take, but all he could come up with, was to continue trying to express to her how much he truly cared and was sorry, while ignoring any cruel and carefully aimed comments, which she may send his way. After all, he deserved everyone of them for what he had said... but he hoped despite her harshness, that they were only spoken out of anger... and not from her heart.

He took in a breath and went on.

_"I am glad to see that you have recovered,"_ he said, kindly and looking up at her with a tiny smile to try to hide his pain.

Anck-su-namun kept looking ahead, but she could see his smile from the corner of her eyes, causing her heart to wrench at its sad beauty. She lowered her eyes to get it out of her sight. That smile of his made this all the more painful, and also...made her entire body feel weak. She had to remind herself that his smile was only to appease one of the burdens he carried for being a priest...just as he had so insistently stated in the hall.

_"And I am glad to see that you so avidly practice your duties. I know it must come as quite the burden at times,"_ she said with her quick tongue, giving him a swift glance, and then looking back down, before she had not the strength to do so.

Imhotep couldn't believe this. He brought his eyes down from her and stared at the tabletop. He'd been right in assuming she'd heard the entire thing. Her words revealed everything. Could she not see that his taking care of her, remaining at her side, had not been for the satisfaction of his duties? That he'd done it out of love? He felt anger at her inability to notice!

Gods...could she truly not see the pain in his eyes, the sorrow in his voice? He would do anything for her. He'd go to the ends of the Earth to bring her happiness. How could she not see what she did to him?

He brought his eyes back up to her.

_"I do not ask because of my duties," _he said to her, keeping his patience as best he could.

His head was spinning from the way his hopes and dreams were being shattered.

Anck-su-namun turned her head back to Imhotep and looked him straight in the eyes, holding her gaze this time. Her eyes were cold, any care void from them, and her face held a look of pure stone.

_"Oh? Then why do you ask, High Priest? For compassion's sake? For penance? Am I so pathetic that you ask out of pity, or for redemption? Whatever the reason is that you came over here to sit with me, please get it over with, so I may sit here in peace,"_ she said, her eyes wavering with the forming of tears, just as she turned from him yet again, but it was not soon enough.

Imhotep had caught those tears in her eyes. He had felt the pain behind those eyes of hers, mirroring his own, and he could feel her suffering from everything that had transpired to create what was now her life. This caused his anger to subside.

_"Anck-su-namun if you would please let me explain-"_

_"There is nothing that needs to be explained,"_ she interrupted, coldly, yet her voice had the slightest hint of faltering, which did not miss Imhotep's attuned ears, causing his determination to get his message across to grow, but as he spoke, his voice held the same unwavering patience he had great mastery over.

_"Please...There is something I must say...and I only wish for you to listen...I have done a great wrong by you-"_

_"You are not the first. There is no need to express any sympathies."_

Imhotep nearly faltered at that, but he held onto his patience, as well as his sanity, and trudged on just as calmly.

_"Anck-su-namun, I did not mean what was said... I...I do not feel that way towards you..."_ he said, the last few words hitting with such a gentle softness, that Anck-su-namun felt a chill.

Imhotep gazed upon her with a pleading look held in his dark eyes, praying that she would see before he went mad. He was going to tell her if he saw her understand...He longed for her to do so, his heart was ready to be bared and it showed within his eyes.

Anck-su-namun made the mistake of turning her head to Imhotep again, ready with another onslaught to deter him, but when she saw his eyes, those eyes that could be nothing else, but the very doorway into Heaven... She choked. Her heart leapt at the familiar sight and she wanted to move closer to him and nuzzle herself into his embrace forever. It was that look he'd given her, ever since he'd first seen her, only it had grown in its intensity and power over her heart.

She tore herself away from it, fear sweeping over her of what he might speak if she remained looking at him like that. The thought felt too good to be true, but she could not take the chance...no matter how much she longed to hear those words...

_"I-I have already heard how you feel. There is no need to express it again..." _she insisted, and then looked at him with the most flustered and desperate of expressions. _"Now good day, High Priest!" _she said, abruptly, her eyes catching his for a fraction of a second before she tore them from his for the millionth time to look once more at the table, shattering nearly all of Imhotep's remaining hopes.

She would never let him in… She couldn't let him in, and she couldn't stand to speak with Imhotep any longer. All he brought to her right now were the painful memories of that morning and the heartache she had felt. He was confusing her by his persistence and patience with her. Had he not meant what he had said that day? How could he speak about her in such a manner and then have the gall to look at her like that?

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, feeling her heart plummeting further into its suffering with every new beat of life it gave, from the great hole she could feel tearing into it. It was then that a single tear fell from her eye and splattered onto the table beneath her...catching Imhotep's watchful eye...

His heart quickened and ached at the sight.

_"Anck-su-namun..." _he whispered, in his low and soothing voice, his fingers separating from being clasped together and moving out towards her.

He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but the paint she wore made that impossible, as well as the servants, which surrounded them. He moved no further, but his right hand remained suspended a few inches from the table, reaching toward her.

_"I must tell you..."_ he tried again, pausing to see what she would do. His mouth felt drier than it ever had before and he tried to swallow.

Anck-su-namun saw his hand from the corner of her eyes.

_"I said good day! Now I wish to be alone before Pharaoh arrives," _she said rather insistently, looking at him in her rashness, with eyes more of fear than anything else, just as another tear escaped and fell onto the table.

Imhotep's eyes followed it, and he pulled back his hand, as servants from around the room had stopped to see why the Pharaoh's newest mistress had just raised her voice to the High Priest. Until now it was something unheard of.

Anck-su-namun turned her head away from Imhotep, not caring in the least about the watchful eyes, and looked to the opposite end of the room, completely concealing her face from Imhotep's view.

He kept looking at her; however, as she moved away, the back of her head all that he could really see, but then he noticed the eyes, which were upon him, and he felt an awkwardness creep into his being at the situation he was now faced with.

Anck-su-namun remained upon her pile of pillows. He would indeed need to do something about this immediately. He needed to give them reason not to question anything about this, and forget that any of it had ever happened.

Gathering all the anger he could, Imhotep forced the hardest of glares to come to his usually soft eyes and left no room for question to any of these servants of what he would do, should they not turn away that instant.

Quickly, every single one of the servants averted their eyes, not daring to cross with the High Priest, and continued on about their own business once again.

Imhotep took a deep breath in through his nostrils and turned his head back to Anck-su-namun's fallen tear, confident that all was taken care of, and fighting back his desperation, returning anger.

He lifted his eyes back to Anck-su-namun and his mind flashed back to that last look she had given him. There had been something she'd held in her eyes...Those unshed tears...

_Could it be possible that she? Hathor, could such a thing be true?_

He glanced at the tear that he'd seen spill from her eyes, and then back at her. His own eyes were wide with hope and curiosity from the overwhelming need to know what she kept in her heart. Imhotep leaned closer to his heart's desire and whispered so only she could hear, wanting to urge her to say anything she had weighted on her mind and heart. He needed to tell her now more than ever, as well, his heart was racing and ready to burst from the words, which remained unsaid, and the possibility that she may return at least part of those feelings made it impossible to stand.

_"Anck-su-namun... I must tell you what I feel in my heart, I have-"_

_"I have spoken all I wish to say to you. Now please go," _she said in a shaky and angry tone.

That was it. Imhotep felt himself nearly shake with frustration and he pursed his lips together tightly, while leaning back in his seat. Defeated.

_"Fine,"_ he said, a hint of anger breaking through his no longer so patient voice.

It was useless to speak to her now, and he found himself regretting his words now more than ever. It was clear to him she'd already let him say all she was willing to allow him for the moment, her anger and hurt toward him were too great, but Imhotep would not give up until she knew; until he knew.

_"Fine,"_ she said back, still not turning around.

_"Fine..."_ he said again, about to stand up.

He was no longer hungry, and he felt that a walk was needed. Anyplace where he could clear his head and figure out what he could do about this was all he wanted at this moment, but before he could even begin to push himself up, the double doors at the far end of the room behind him, were suddenly pushed open from the outside by four Med-jai, who had been standing watch outside.

They stood there at attention, as all the servants in the room stopped, and knelt down for the royalty, which was about to enter dining hall. Imhotep quickly moved his seat further from Anck-su-namun's, meanwhile, feeling disappointment and anger toward himself for not just saying what he wanted. At this rate... Anck-su-namun would never know how he felt, and his heart would forever be torn... from her...

* * *

Princess Nefertiri waltzed into the room first, her head high and confident. The long and golden gown she donned, painted with the sacred blossoms of the lotus flower up and down the revealing fabric, which fitted tightly to her svelte body, and seemed to bend to her every movement. 

Her face was stern, and carried with her an air of regality, which she had so obviously inherited from her father. If any woman was more respected in Egypt, it was Princess Nefertiri, for her father had seen to it that she grow up a strong and confident woman.

As she passed, any and all bowed their heads down in respect for their princess, as they did every evening, and would for the many to come.

Nefertiri's eyes only stared past them all, as if none existed in her mind, for her father had taught her long ago that one of her status need not to acknowledge those lower than she, as it was their duty to pay such tribute for their royalty. Nefertiri; however, was frankly bored with this routine.

It was always the same. Walk in, be doted upon, and be seated at the table. She was exasperated by it all. What she truly longed for was to be with her dear Asim, instead of making these trivial appearances, as a princess was expected to do, but her father would never approve of his eldest daughter being missing from his table, and so, she quickly, and lithely made her way toward her designated seat, her eyes immediately falling directly upon her newly made friend, Imhotep. His conversations usually gave her enough of a distraction from her troubles and she rather enjoyed any talks with him.

She smiled, as she watched him already seating himself at his place at the table, ever the punctual one. She was sure, at first, that he must surely be feeling better from the previous night, but then it registered within her mind what exactly she had just seen him doing.

He had just pulled away from her father's detestable concubine, after seeming a little too close for any friendly conversation...and on top of that, his retreat from her had seemed all too abrupt...as though there were something he were trying to conceal... She did not like the looks of this, nor the way it caused her to feel, as she worriedly seated herself down at the head of the woman's table, directly across from Imhotep's seat.

She nodded kindly at Imhotep, completely ignoring Anck-su-namun who sat on the floor to her left.

Her father may find her fitting to his needs, but that did not mean that she had to show any care, or kindness towards his glorified harem girl while in his absence.

_"High Priest,"_ she smiled, while praying that what she'd seen had only been in her imagination.

Imhotep respectfully returned the gesture and nodded back, his eyes blinking shut for the action, as he forced a pleasant smile, and folded his hands together upon the table.

_"Princess."_

Nefertiri held her smile, though she found herself feeling more and more awkward in the strange silence, which befell them after their words.

She found herself giving a glance to Anck-su-namun..._What had those two been discussing?_

Before she could delve into her search for the answer, the double doors to the room swung open once more, guards and servants falling to their knees immediately, as Seti's youngest daughters now entered into the room, gracefully making their way over to their sister.

It was their father's wish that Nefertiri set an example for her siblings, as she was the eldest, and arrive first, as a representation of the royals, followed by her sisters, for their father enjoyed being the last to enter the dining hall. To him, it felt as a means of making his presence deemed and felt more important to all, by leaving everyone to wait in anticipation for his arrival, like the god he deemed himself to be.

The girls took their seats, as did the other occupants who followed. The seating arrangements were simplistic: girls on the right, boys on the left, and arranged according to importance.

Nefertiri, being the eldest, deserved the privilege of being seated closest to her father, for it was her natural right, while her younger sisters had the luxury of being seated at her right descending to the youngest.

The male's table, following the High Priest Imhotep, who was the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, were Seti's many sons, Imhotep's loyal priests, and various noblemen of the palace.

Once all were seated, silence succumbed the room, and Med-jai filed in from all around, surrounding the tables completely. Each took up their assigned posts, some behind each chair, which aligned the tables, as the others took watch from the doors and balconies. All held their sickled swords at the ready, the sharp edge of their blades gleaming before them, as they were held protruding up from their waists. Each Med-jai stared almost stone-like at whatever was ahead of them, as perfect replicas of the lifelessness, which depicted the statues aligning the halls of the palace. Asim was among them, vigilantly positioned behind his own princess...Nefertiri.

Imhotep's powerful eyes gave a glance to his friend, as did Anck-su-namun's, but if Asim looked back at either of them it was undetectable. The workings of a Med-jai was at times hard to figure.

The two torn individuals brought their eyes away from Asim simultaneously, which did not escape the princess' eye, only adding to the eerie suspicion she was beginning to feel.

Aside from the fact that something was indeed happening between both Imhotep and her father's whore, Asim now seemed to be playing some part in it and she did not like it.

Imhotep turned his eyes over to Anck-su-namun, seeing her staring down at the table before her, just as blankly as the Med-jai encircling them. Sadly, he turned his sympathetic gaze away from her and looked to Nefertiri. Immediately, his stomach took a dive when he saw her staring back at him quizzically, a hint of suspicion amongst her narrowing eyes.

He didn't blink, he just remained looking back at her, as if he had nothing to hide. Not even when Seti entered the room, did he break his locked gaze.

Surpassing all those who knelt down in respect of their king, refusing to show their eyes while in his graces, Seti smiled proudly at all everything he saw, never tiring of the authority, which he held. The sight of his people, never failed to give him a narcissistic high from their revering.

Seti now reached his seat at the head of the table, his smug expression growing ever more so, as he gazed upon his Anck-su-namun. His prize, seated for all to see upon nothing, but mere pillows at his side. His smile was almost a lustful sneer, but he quickly lifted his head up from her and walked over to greet his favored child.

_"Daughter,"_ said Seti, placing a warm kiss to his eldest's forehead, before finally bringing himself to be seated.

Nefertiri gave a loving smile back to her father, having missed the way he had looked so fondly at Anck-su-namun just a few moment's past, perhaps because she had chosen to block it from her mind.

Looking at her father, she was; however, pleased to see that he appeared in such good spirits, what with all the troubles happening with the new monuments for the festival.

_"Father," _she said in return with a gentle nod.

As soon, as all had seen their Pharaoh take his seat, servants rose and began carrying plates over, which were filled to the brim with food, as Seti absently surveyed the rest of his children who were all present.

He sighed, very pleased that for once all his daughters were comfortably seated. Recently, the younger two, Nuru and Jamila, had been arriving late, bringing much disappointment upon him, while contrary to them, he had heard pleasing reports from Nefertiri that Safiya and Ife had been arriving unusually early.

A dreamy sigh was suddenly heard from across the table at Imhotep's left, causing The High Priest to bring his bewildered eyes to find the cause, but what he was found was Nefertiri's younger sisters.

Princess Nuru and Princess Jamila seemed to be making faces at one another and moving food about their plates, as they were regularly seen doing, but Princess Safiya and Princess Ife... they were another story...

Neither of them were eating their dinners, in fact, Imhotep was not even sure they knew their food had arrived. Their plates were set off to their sides and each girl had an elbow set upon the table, using their right hand to prop up their little faces. They were staring directly at him, their eyes fixated dreamily, a goofy grin worn across each of their lips, as they both in unison released another sigh.

Imhotep raised an eyebrow at the remarkable sight of them. He was not entirely sure what to do, nor what to say. He just remained still, looking to them curiously, as nervousness was welling up inside of him.

What were they staring at? Did he have something on his face?

Ife and Safiya now each lifted a hand up and waved to him in eerie unision, causing Imhotep's eyes to swell round and then turn away. He immediately shook his head in amazement and decided not to even begin to think what all that had been about!

He let his eyes fall upon Seti, who had just finished allowing one of his servants to taste his food for poisons, missing the whole scenario with his children and the High Priest.

Seti turned his dark eyes upon his Imhotep, who gave a nod of respect, waiting to be spoken to, but Seti's previously pleased expression was no longer too pleasant looking, for he had been hearing lots of news, as of late about his High Priest's progresses with the festivities, or lack there of.

_"Imhotep. My overseers tell me some threatening news about the Epagomenal's preparations. I have been informed that many tasks have fallen behind. For you sake, I hope that I have been informed incorrectly. Upsetting the gods is not something, which we should be striving toward... nor is upsetting your honored pharaoh," he said in a voice, which could be mistaken for no less than a warning._

Before the matter had even been uttered, Imhotep had known it would be coming. With his constant distractions, he had not been able to properly supervise all the preparations, though he remained working constantly. Some of the workers he had neglected had slacked off, as a result, causing many of the planning, surrounding mainly the new monuments, to fall behind schedule. He answered quickly and without fear.

_"I assure you that I am working as hard as possible to correct this neglectfulness taking hold within the temples. All will be done in time. The gods will have nothing to be displeased over," _he said, calmly, letting his eyes drift to Anck-su-namun for a split second, but still she would not look up from her legs.

Imhotep withdrew a breath and continued to speak to his Pharaoh, deciding to take his chance.

_"But I am sorry for the troubles it has caused you in the meantime. It is something that will not happen again and I will do whatever it takes to make amends for any faults of my own," _he added, glancing once more at Anck-su-namun only long enough for Seti not to take notice.

_"I trust that you will," _answered Seti. _"I will accept nothing less from you than the best, and you are correct, Imhotep, you will do whatever it takes, and the gods will have nothing to be displeased about..." _he said. _"Now! Let us all eat and enjoy what the gods have left for us," _he announced with his arms in the air and a smile upon his slightly weathered face.

Everyone permitted to feast, began their meals, as Seti turned his eyes on Anck-su-namun.

Yes, she had recovered quite nicely. He could not wait to make her his once again; taste her as he once had. In fact, he would do so the moment dinner ended. He had lusted for her ever since that first night. Though she had been so defiant, his drive for her had only strengthened. One day she would submit to him, she only needed to see this; learn it. She would learn how to behave, how to please him, for her beauty already drove him mad with lust.

Seti reached up and rested a hand on the side of Anck-su-namun's head, touching her thick, full, black hair. He smiled once again, though it was a wicked grin, as in his mind danced images of what he would soon be doing to her.

He dropped his hand from her and snapped his fingers, signaling to her that she may now feed him and care for him. Anck-su-namun's hands quickly reached out and grabbed one of the bowls from the table and began to pluck food from them and slip them to Seti's mouth.

Seti opened wide his mouth, allowing the date she had plucked up to enter his mouth, but when he closed his mouth over it, he made sure her fingers were sucked into his mouth before pulling his head back, causing them to slip back out.

He smiled once more at her, as she reached down for another, not looking disgusted in the least.

Yes, his prize. Not only did he allow her inside the dining hall for this, but he enjoyed flaunting her before his court in an attempt to make other men see what they could only wish to possess; see what they could never even touch. The power it instilled him with, the sheer superiority, made him mean with arrogance, but filled with joys unimaginable.

Imhotep was watching this whole thing from the corners of his eyes, as he tried to force himself to eat. How could he not see any of it? He seethed at the sight of Seti touching her silken hair, and nearly lost all control over his stomach when he had to witness the one he coveted feeding that snake.

Suddenly, he had lost his appetite...


	11. Chapter Ten: The Look

**Chapter Ten**

"The Look"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1298 BC

* * *

The doors to the dining hall had never opened so quickly, as when Lord Imhotep madly dashed through their opening to the empty hallway located on the other side. He had abruptly excused himself from the table, after appearing pale and wan, claiming to have suddenly taken ill, and that he should vacate the room so as not to endanger The Pharaoh. Seti had hastily agreed, dismissing him from his presence, as a piece of meat had dangled from his moistened lips.

Now alone and clutching a hand over his stomach, Imhotep was doubled over and gagging as he fought to hold down his food, but it was a futile battle and he headed straight for the first thing that he saw: A large planter located against the far wall.

Immediately falling to his knees, sick with hatred and disgust, his mind flashed with images of the precious fingers belonging to Anck-su-namun, as their pharaoh savored them as though they were a rare delicacy. The lascivious visions were beyond anything he could take and Imhotep gave into the inevitable, vomiting into the planter what small portion of dinner he had managed to take in.

The acid from his stomach burned in his throat and a powerful ache launched an assault within his chest and stomach from the muscles contracting so violently, as a vile taste was left in his mouth. Not once had he experienced anything like this; he had never been sick a day in his life.

Breathing hard, he closed his eyes, trying to relax, but he could still see it; Seti's abhorrent tongue wriggling its way inside Anck-su-namun's ear, his teeth biting on her lobe. Imhotep flung his eyes open, wanting to make the appalling images vanish, but was met with something he had not expected.

_"Eat something that disagreed with you, My Friend?"_ came a voice from behind, one belonging to Asim.

Imhotep wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his robes and curled his lips into a tiny, misplaced smile, as he stood to face his lifelong friend.

_"Stating the obvious has always been one of your strong suits,"_ he commended with a hint of venom, as he stared at Asim with a sardonic, twisted expression, _"…My Brother…_" added for extra effect.

The Med-jai only gave a kind smile. "_Something troubling you?_"he simply asked. "_I came to see if you were alright?_"

Imhotep fought back the rage that he was feeling compelled to unleash once more upon Asim. It seemed to build as though it held a life of its very own, especially after having seen the way the Med-jai had been eyeing Anck-su-namun when Seti had not been looking. The poor girl had appeared terrified whenever he had done so and had seemed to do everything within her power to avoid all eye contact with Nefertiri's loyal bodyguard. She had even kissed Seti once when he had looked upon her, sickening Imhotep beyond words.

_"What did you say to Anck-su-namun?"_ he lashed out, accusingly. Asim raised his eyebrows and looked down at Imhotep innocently.

_"Whatever do you mean? I have spoken nothing to the woman,"_ he replied, keeping and even stare back into Imhotep's eyes.

Imhotep rolled his eyes and turned from his friend with growl. _"Don't lie to me. You have gone behind my back and spoken to Anck-su-namun. Do not play me for a fool. I am far more powerful than you could ever hope to be."_

_"Powerful?" _scoffed Asim, feeling surprised by this turn of events. Imhotep had clearly changed from the man he had once called "brother…" _"Are you threatening me?"_ he felt compelled to ask.

_"If that is what needs to be done to find answers to my questions,"_ replied Imhotep with conviction. He was not going to let anything more befall Anck-su-namun. He felt inclined to protect her, even if it meant confronting and opposing his best friend.

_"So… it has come to this, has it? Of all our years of trust and brotherhood, you turn on me for a whore?"_ concluded the Med-jai.

Imhotep looked Asim straight in the eyes, showing no signs that he would back down. _"Tell me what I want to know."_

Asim sighed and shook his head at the High Priest. How he missed his friend. Would he ever get him back? _"It is none of your concern. You would do best to stay out of it for your sake and for hers."_

Imhotep laughed and threw his head back, before speaking again. _"'For my sake and for hers…'"_

_"Yes. Don't be a fool, Imhotep. Do you know how much you would be throwing away and all for a woman who does not even deserve to be spit upon by you?"_

Imhotep growled again and sneered at Asim, stepping closer to him and getting directly in his face. _"What did you say to her? This is the last time I will be asking."_

_"All you need to know is that whatever I said was to protect the both of you. You think I would care to see the downfall of my dearest friend?"_

Imhotep didn't say anything. He just glared at the man before him, silently brooding. After several moments, he spoke.

_"If I were you, I would stay out my affairs. I am capable of handling the situation and do not need your 'protection,' as you call it," _he hissed. Why did Asim insist on meddling so much? He had a forbidden love of his own; Imhotep had even put them together! Was this the "thanks" his "friend" had for him? He felt betraye. Asim had gone behind his back and interfered. How could he trust him now?

The Med-jai's gaze softened suddenly, _"Why are you so protective then over Anck-su-namun if you swear to love her not?"_

Silence came again between the two and Asim wished with all his might that Imhotep would at least admit it to him if he still considered him to be a close and personal friend, but all the High Priest did was focus a hard stare back into his eyes.

"I don't love her and if I am protective over her, what of it? You saw how badly beaten she was. I am High Priest. How can I just stand idly by when someone is suffering so? She could have died and you know it, so don't come to me accusing me of feelings I could never possibly to possess!"

Asim only shook his head. The defensive reaction Imhotep so adamantly portrayed gave it all away. This was not like him at all. _"I am sorry, but that is something that I cannot believe. I am sorry, My Friend, but please understand that what I have done was for your own good. If you truly do love this girl, you will not pursue her, for you will bring nothing but pain to the both of you… and loss…"_

Imhotep averted his eyes and looked to the ground, as together the two men stood in the quiet of the halls. Imhotep understood that what Asim had done was with the best of intentions, but it was impossible to accept. He was now even more lost than before. What had once seemed as the right and true path now seemed blurred and corrupt. He didn't know what to do…

The doors to the dining room suddenly parted, revealing to the two men within the corridor the Princess Nefertiri, her head held high. She stopped when she saw her faithful bodyguard and the High Priest loitering before her. A look of concern and confusion came over her, as she stepped over to the both of them, the doors being pulled shut behind her.

_"What is going on? Is everything alright? Imhotep, are you feeling any better?" _she asked with worry in her voice. A look passed between Imhotep and her lover.

_"It is nothing, My Dear Princess… All is… taken care of,"_ answered Asim, with a deep breath. _"It appears that the mighty Imhotep has become the victim of a slight cold,_" he said with a slight expression of amusement.

Surprised by this, Imhotep looked up at Asim. He would not turn him over for his feelings? A renewed respect for their friendship suddenly set in and he found himself giving in to a smile of his own.

Nefertiri reached out her hand and rubbed Imhotep's shoulder. _"Then you should be in bed,_" she scolded, lightly."_I will appoint your second in command to handle your duties at the temples, as well as any preparations for the festival until you are well again."_

Imhotep appeared to give a somber smirk. _"I am fine. Thank you,"_ he said, rather curtly, which caused the princess to take her hand back with some uncertainty.

What had come over Imhotep?

_"Come. I will escort you back to your chambers, Princess" _interrupted Asim, as he took her by the arm in an attempt to avert her attentions from the High Priest, but Nefertiri pulled herself away and stepped once more over to Imhotep. She leaned in close, never one to give up when she sensed there was something deeply wrong.

"_Are you certain that everything is alright_?"

Imhotep turned his head away from Nefertiri and looked at Asim with a small, ironic smirk on his face, before addressing the princess. _"I am not the one you should be asking that question to," _he replied, before he began to walk off down the hall, his robes flowing behind him.

When he was far enough away, Nefertiri turned to Asim in great perplexity.

_"What was all that about?"_ she asked, hooking her arm with his. Her escort just shrugged.

"I haven't a clue; he wouldn't tell me. You know how Imhotep is. I'm sure he's fine," he insisted, beginning to lead his princess into the opposite direction the High Priest had gone.

Quietly, Nefertiri laid her head upon his strong shoulder. She was exhausted and all this worry and curiosity was beginning to take its toll on her. Her thoughts came back to the suspicious happenings of the dining hall… but her head was suddenly lifted when she heard the clicking of doors from behind them. She turned just enough to see Anck-su-namun standing in the hall now… and she was looking rather longingly in Imhotep's direction.

Nefertiri's eyebrows knitted more closely together at this. What was going on? There was something between those two… of that she was certain. She just didn't know exactly what. Her distrust of Anck-su-namun grew to new heights, as two servants suddenly flanked the mistress, causing Anck-su-namun to straighten and tense, before turning her head from that direction and into Princess Nefertiri's.

Their eyes crossed paths ever so briefly, and the princess could see the fear of knowing when one had been caught in the other's black eyes, at least until Anck-su-namun nervously averted her distrustful gaze to the floor and walked after her servants toward her chambers.

_"Did you see that?"_ Nefertiri wasted no time in getting to the point. Her father had brought her up to not dance around the subject at hand.

_"See what?" _asked Asim, looking down the hall, as though he were trying to figure it out.

Nefertiri shook her head. _"Nevermind… I guess I was just seeing things, that's all…" _she said instead, but secretly her mind was reeling to figure it all out. What exactly had that look been about?

Her thoughts brought her back to the that night a week ago when Anck-su-namun had been presented to the kingdom… Imhotep had truly not been himself that night, upset and reclusive… more so than usual…

Suddenly the princess' heart skipped a beat and she gasped mentally.

_No…_ she thought. It wasn't possible! Or… was it? Were they, or was Imhotep at least, in love?

Nefertiri instantly turned her head to Asim again. "Are you sure everything is going to be alright?" she asked for reassurance. She would trust Asim's word, even if she couldn't trust Anck-su-namun… and she wasn't so sure anymore how much she trusted the High Priest…

_"My Princess, I would never lie to you. Everything is and will be fine. Do not worry,"_ he comforted, stopping to kiss her forehead, before they turned the corner.

Nefertiri nodded and pursed her lips together in thought. She still sensed something was up and she was beginning to feel quite certain that Imhotep housed feelings for that whore, but Asim had never steered her wrong… and so, she would believe him, but that did not mean that she would let down her guard…


	12. Chapter 11: Forbidden Destinies

**Author's Note:** I'd like to apologize that I have taken so long to update this fic. School just gets in the way of my writing time, but I hope you are enjoying it! Please review!

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

"Forbidden Destinies"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

(Eight years later…)

* * *

In quiet solitude, the High Priest Imhotep made his way down the corridors of the palace. Determination rested on his face and shown through even in the way he moved. He planned for nothing to deter him from his daily tasks. 

Clutched in his hands, were several scrolls of papyrus needed for the expansion of the temples to Osiris. It had taken several trying hours, but in the end, Imhotep had drawn them up and was now ready to present them to the pharaoh for final inspection. He hoped that Seti would not delay his plans any further than he had already.

The pharaoh had been displeased with the blueprints the first three times and it had greatly aggravated Imhotep. His patience toward the man had long since worn thin, especially since his respect for this "god on Earth" had all but been swallowed by Ahemait.

Imhotep found no shame in thinking such things about his pharaoh; he had given up chastising himself over it many seasons ago. He had seen the truth and knew what Seti really was: A lowly spawn of Sebek, andto this day it sickened him to look at this heathen he was meant to serve.

Making a right into the next corridor, Imhotep suddenly became aware that he had just entered the hall, which led to Princess Nefertiri's bedchambers. The familiar face of Asim became visible, as the Med-jai stood outside her rooms. Now was the time for chastising.

Mentally the high priest rolled his eyes and swore to whatever god was listening, for though the encounters regarding Anck-su-namun had now passed, he and Asim had never fully recovered from their wounds. Scars now marred their once beautiful friendship and Imhotep knew, as did Asim, that they would never be as they had been before, but that did not stop the Med-jai from keeping a protective eye on his old friend.

Asim glanced at Imhotep, only moving his eyes, as the rest of his body remained perfectly still. "_If you've business with the pharaoh, he will be detained_," he said.

Imhotep stopped and looked at Asim sharply with some puzzlement. "_Why_?" he asked, standing straighter. How did Asim know this when he was the guard of Nefertiri?

"_He is inside speaking with his daughter_," he answered, indicating the door to his left.

"_Then I will wait_," Imhotep replied, ready to be on his way. Asim noticed this, but felt inclined to speak with his former companion some more. He longed for their lengthy conversations, the stories they used to share. Would they ever have that again?

"_How are things at the temples going_?" he decided to ask.

Imhotep looked inconvenienced by this question, for it was clearly shown that he wished to be anywhere else. "_Slower than expected_," he said, not willing to divulge any further information. Imhotep had become very guarded and closed off in the past eight years. Asim did not even know him anymore and did not believe he was in any way the man he had once been. It was heart wrenching.

The high priest started to turn, ready to leave after all, whether he had bid his friend a farewell, or not, but desperate to break through the wall Imhotep had created, Asim said the first thing that came to mind. The one thing that he knew would shake the high priest from his cage.

"_She's getting married, you know._"

Imhotep stopped. His back was to Asim, but he turned his head enough to glance at him. "_Who_?" he asked.

"_Anck-su-namun_…" said the Med-jai, who watched as Imhotep once again looked away from him.

He shut his eyes, his instincts already fearing- No, knowing the worst. His entire body tensed as he asked his next question. "_To who_?" he inquired, his tone controlled, as his jaw tightly clenched.

"_To the pharaoh_."

"_How do you know this_?" he demanded, still unable to bring himself to look at Asim. He knew the anger he was feeling and he wanted Asim to have no part of it. If he so much as glanced at his friend, he knew without a doubt that he would lash out. He could not hurt Seti, however he could certainly inflict his wrath upon the messenger, but he would not follow that path.

"_Nefertiri. She was rather boisterous about the news just moments ago… I am sorry_," Asim offered in all sincerity. Imhotep silently scoffed and rolled his eyes, before at last shaking his head.

"_Do you think I care_?" he asked, turning around at last.

"_Don't you_?" posed Asim, looking straight into Imhotep's dark eyes. He could imagine the pain he was going through. Many a times had he wondered what would become of him and Nefertiri if she were to wed another man. He knew the day was coming and words could not describe what he felt, but he still did not understand why Imhotep could not let a woman he had hardly met go.

"_I do not have time for this. I have told you, she means nothing to me. Nothing_," he insisted.

For a long while the two men stared at one another, Imhotep seething, and Asim patiently awaiting a response. It was a stand off and both men felt they had the other cornered.

"_It's a sign, Imhotep. You should forget her."_

The high priest growled and spun around, his robe billowing out behind him as he walked at a rather quickened pace for Seti's chambers, leaving Asim with a somber expression. Imhotep would wait for the pharaoh there. He would listen no more to Asim and his self-righteous attitude, and he would find Anck-su-namun.

"_She doesn't belong to you_," called out the Med-jai, as he vanished from sight.

Workers in the palace darted out of the way, or bowed their heads in fear as Imhotep stormed past them. He ignored them all. Until now, his duties had become his life, more so than they had been prior to his encounters with Anck-su-namun. They were all that he had to give him some sense of belonging and worth. Everything seemed much simpler and set in place when he dealt with the religious affairs of the kingdom, after all, it was what he felt he was meant to do…

But now he felt that there was something else he was meant for and it had nagged at him since that night. Hearing this news of the coming marriage only solidified his feelings more. He began to forget all about the promise he had made to himself several years ago, a promise which had come about after his conversation with Asim in the corridor, the day he had fallen ill. It was then, after many hours of reflection that he had decided that what Asim had said and done was right.

If he had pursued Anck-su-namun and his feelings for her, he would no doubt have brought about the downfall of them both, but he had found that he cared little for himself. He had learned that from her. All that mattered was her safety, and so, he had avoided her, disappeared from her life. When she was around Seti, he made himself scarce. The more he ignored her, the easier it had become and he had managed to convince himself that his feelings for her had been abolished… but that had only been until his run in with his dear friend, Asim in the halls just moments before…

It was almost funny how a single announcement could alter everything he thought he had control of, but he had no time for quiet reflection about the workings of the world. It was time.

At long last, his heart pumping with fury, he reached the large, golden doors to Seti's chambers. His eyes bore into the two Med-jai standing guard outside the room, until they opened the doors for him and allowed him to pass. The second the room was revealed to him, the unexpected took place, for inside a hauntingly familiar figure stood in the room's center, facing the doors.

The curves of her painted body stood out against all else. Her black as the night hair draped just inches from her shoulders, glistening in the light. Everything about her was enticing, alluring, and captivating, but he was not blind to the warnings, the dangers of which Anck-su-namun held.

"_Imhotep. What a surprise_," she said, lifting an eyebrow, as he heard the doors shut behind him.

"_What are you doing in here_?" he asked, ignoring her greeting. Anck-su-namun gave a short laugh and walked toward him.

"_What do you think_?" she inquired, coyly.

Imhotep had not said two words to her since that night before dinner. Nothing could describe how much she had missed him and longed for him to come and speak with her again, but why? Why now after all these years did he come to her? She knew she had been cold to him last they had spoke, but a huge part of her had wanted him to try again at getting through to her. She had almost needed him to make her forgive him like some burning necessity, but now that he stood before her she was angry. Angry of all the time he had wasted. What had he been waiting for?

When Imhotep had suddenly taken it upon himself to ignore her, he had only succeeded in breaking her heart for what seemed to be an eternity. Every time she had gazed upon him the pain was never any less and she had to wonder, would she be this way for longer than she would draw breath? Was this her fate when it was so clear that he did not love her?

However some small part of her tried to remind her that it was for the best. Asim and his watchful eye upon her was not something that she wished to attract. She feared him, as she feared death.

Shivering, she looked at Imhotep, and continued to speak to him in a guarded manner.

"Must_ I describe to you my duties as the pharaoh's mistress_?" she asked, circling him, her finger tracing along his back and neck very lightly. She watched from behind him as his body tensed and she smiled, pleased to see that she was getting to him, as her vexation climbed.

"_Do I frighten you_?" she asked, returning to stand before him. "_You know I am forbidden. A single touch from me and any man would fall to Anubis… Seti would see to that. But you were once unafraid of my touch_," she said, looking quizzically at him, her anger subsiding, as curiosity took hold. She had never figured out how that could be. Why he would one moment defy everything the pharaoh had decreed and then fall into the shadows, far from doing anything against Seti's law. He was a mystery to her, an enigma.

"_Tell me, what changed_?" she queried.

"_Things are not that_ _simple_," he answered, causing Anck-su-namun to smirk.

"_Things are always simple. Only our minds make them as complicated as they can be_," she replied, meeting with his eyes. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. How would she be able to continue to hide her feelings for him?

Imhotep stared at her, his face like stone. Inside he was feeling a wide range of emotions, ones he could not begin to identify. What did she want from him? How could she call anything to do with their situation "simple?"

Turning to walk toward the curtains hanging before the balcony, she continued, "_If you are looking for Seti, he is not here_."

Imhotep sighed. He had wanted to find Anck-su-namun, but now that he had he did not know what to do. Anger boiled up inside of him at his inability to say anything. He watched her voluptuous hips sway with every step she took and he burned to tell her, to release all this turmoil he held within. These feelings were all consuming, more potent than ever before. She was like a flower that had somehow managed to survive in the desert, but someone else had plucked her up; someone she did not belong to and before he could gain control of his tongue, the words seemed to shoot from his mouth like deadly arrows, ones he could never take back.

"_You cannot marry him_!" he cried, causing Anck-su-namun to stop when her hands had grasped the curtains. The breath she had sucked in refused to be released and she found that she could not move for the longest time. Had he really just said that?

She turned around, appearing shocked, but more importantly afraid. What if the Med-jai waiting outside had heard? They could both be killed!

In an effort to defend herself, she said, "_I do not see where it is any concern of yours_."

But, secretly she was curious and hopeful, longing to hear more of this, but what was she expecting? He couldn't possibly profess his undying love to her here in the pharaoh's bedchambers. He couldn't profess it anywhere. Ever. That was if he even felt anything, which she was still very doubtful of. Oh, how her head was spinning.

"_Anck-su-namun, if you marry him_…" he went on, as she connected with his eyes, while he walked toward her.

Gazing up at him, she searched for the reason he wanted to give her, the one she longed for.

Imhotep too looked back into her eyes, feeling and seeing the warmth of her soul. It drew him in and he stepped closer to her, his hand coming up. He wanted to touch her, feel her, but remembered her paint and where they were, and so instead he passed his hand over her face in a sweeping caress that never touched her skin, but somehow caused a shiver to course through to her very core.

Anck-su-namun, shaking, brought her hand up and returned the same overpowering gesture, stealing Imhotep's very breath away. He had to shut his eyes keep himself under control, for he wanted to delve further into these feelings. If no contact at all could cause this, he could not imagine what her actual touch would be like, her kiss.

"_Imhotep…_" she whispered, dropping her hand. He opened his eyes.

"_Anck-su-namun_," he said back in a hushed tone, his voice sounding deeper than normal.

Anck-su-namun felt as though the world she knew had dropped away and she was left with only one man. Her heart soared higher than the heavens and her soul felt what it had not in the longest time: freedom… and love.

She could feel it surrounding the two of them, binding them together. Imhotep too could sense it. It was apparent in both of their eyes, the expressions on their faces.

The doors clicked open and Imhotep shut his eyes in frustration.

Trembling in terror, Anck-su-namun stepped away from the high priest and walked toward Seti who now entered the room. The pharaoh's arms rose in the air and he greeted his betrothed with open arms and an enormous grin. He embraced her carefully, so as not to smear her paint.

"_Ah, Anck-su-namun_," he said. "_And Imhotep. You have come just in time to hear the glorious news_!"

The high priest placed his scrolls of papyrus on a nearby table in order to put his palms together at his chest, while giving a respectful bow toward his pharaoh. Seti spoke again when Imhotep straightened back up, as Anck-su-namun waited at the pharaoh's side.

"_Anck-su-namun and I are to join_," Seti expressed with glee. He stole a possessive glance at his future wife. "_She is to be the next queen of Egypt both Upper and Lower. There is not a finer woman I could have by my side_."

Imhotep gave in ever so slightly to his feelings and said with cool eloquence, "_As your vizier and high priest, I feel it is owed to me to know why you have not discussed such an important decision with me first_?"

The pharaoh's reply was a slight chuckle, before explaining, "_Imhotep, you have been loyal to me to the last. I could not ask for a more dedicated high priest, but why would I wish to discuss something that I have already decided on? As pharaoh is it not my right to marry the most beautiful woman and display her for all to see? To you I feel that I should not need to explain myself_."

Imhotep realized from his words that he had overstepped his bounds, and so he did what was immediately expected of him.

"_Forgive me then, My Pharaoh_," he apologized with another bow. Seti grinned, but there was something sinister behind it, as he placed an arm around Anck-su-namun. His hand grasped her shoulder and smeared the paint covering it. The black and gold artistry, once perfect and alluring had just been defiled.

"_But I will tell you this. Anck-su-namun and I… are in love_!" the pharaoh announced.

Imhotep's face was like stone, as he watched the two before him, but he carefully took notice to the peculiar way Anck-su-namun averted her eyes from him. She seemed fidgety, until finally flashing an anything but genuine smile Seti's way. The pharaoh, so obviously blinded by his egotistic stupidity, in Imhotep's opinion, saw nothing misplaced in her show of happiness, but the high priest did. He saw through her façade. There was no way he would ever believe that someone such as Anck-su-namun would ever harbor feelings for such a man, but just when he thought nothing could surprise him more than this betrothal, he laid witness to a most heinous act.

Anck-su-namun's slender fingers found their way to Seti's chest and rubbed gently, as she leaned in toward his ear and said aloud, "_I absolutely cannot wait to marry this man. My heart swells with joy at the love he gives to me and the undying affection that we share_."

Imhotep could not take his eyes of Seti's chest and the hand that rubbed and circled his flesh. These words burned in his ears and churned his stomach. Was this true? Did she? Could she… love him? Imhotep suddenly felt as though his lungs had collapsed on him, that his heart had imploded from the pain. He _wished_ he'd imploded if only to escape this disgusting scene.

What was the purpose of this? He loved her, wanted her, needed her, desired her, and yet he could not have her? And to top it all off, he was to lose her to the most despicable man ever in existence? Even Set would be proud! Why, Imhotep would have laughed if he didn't still have a shred of his sanity.

And, as if things could not get any worse, Seti lifted Anck-su-namun's long and delicate fingers to his lips and inserted the index finger into his mouth. Slowly, he pulled it back out, keeping his eyes fixated on his mistress.

Anck-su-namun gave him a smirk, hoping she was hiding her feelings for Imhotep well enough from both men. It made her sick to do this, but she had no choice. It was her place. She would have to accept it and soon she would have with it all the power she could have ever dreamed of.

"_Imhotep_," Seti suddenly broke the silence, "_you may leave. I will discuss whatever it is you have come here to see me for at a later time_."

The pharaoh did not take his gaze from Anck-su-namun's as she smiled demurely and lowered her eyes in humbleness. Imhotep found he was at a loss for words and had to remind himself to respond and move.

"_As you please_," he said, grabbing the blueprints from the table and giving a quick bow. "_Forgive me for keeping you. I will return. Anck-su-namun_," he added in goodbye to the woman who would one day be his future queen and swiftly walked for the exit.

As he stood out in the hall, watching the doors close behind him, he caught a glimpse of Anck-su-namun in the final passing seconds before she was shut inside with him… There was something unexplainable in the way she looked toward him. Something solemn and wistful, but then it was gone.


	13. Chapter 12: Taken

**Author's Note: **"Dai yu" means "good." Least that's what it sounded like what she said in the movie for the word "good." hehe And of course, "Ny," means "no."

And, please read and review!

Jen

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Chapter Twelve

"Taken"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

(Three days later…)

* * *

Imhotep entered the temple of Osiris, looking forward to the long awaited solitude he would receive within. Walking hurriedly, he made his way toward the inner chambers to finish with the cleaning and replacing of various statues, which were meant to embody the souls of the deities of both the Upper and Lower kingdoms.

As High Priest, only he was allowed into the inner most sanctum of the temple where the gods were said to receive their offerings from the priests and followers of their sects. Food was always left, incense was burned, and fine goods were presented to the divine for them to consume, but Imhotep's mind was not on his duties, as he walked for his destination.

Tragedy had stricken the royal family this evening. Seti's youngest child, Layla, with whom he shared with one of his concubines, had passed. Her death had been sudden, for she had contracted a plague mysteriously over night after playing with some local children in the barley fields by the Nile. She had been but nine years old.

Imhotep had just come from the embalming tent where a select few of his priests worked on the body's preparation for the soul's journey into the next life. The smell had been nearly unbearable with all the bodies that had, or were to begin the mummification process, but he had grown accustomed to the rotting stench of the dead and was able to stomach the aroma; however, there was something even more despicable and sickening looming in the air as he had gazed at the body of this mere child.

He could not help, but to ask repeatedly why Osiris had taken her. Ordinarily, such a thing would not have bothered him. He had prepared many children for the afterlife in his days as a priest, but this one was different. He had known this child. He had been training her in the ways of Osiris, for she had desired to become a priestess. As Seti's daughter, the pharaoh wished for her to be instructed by the best, and so he had left her in Imhotep's charge. This child's passing was devastating and Imhotep found that his heart was heavy with the burden of how one so young could have befallen such a terrible and tragic fate. It was beyond his understanding. Everything that had happened since the day he'd met Anck-su-namun had caused him to question his beliefs… Even while he remained true to his duties, inside he was no longer faithful and felt a certain anger toward the gods, which dictated the life he and Anck-su-namun lived.

Continuing on his way, he stepped now into the heart of the outer chamber, hoping that his tasks would distract him from his grief and blasphemous thinking… but he did not get any further than this, for an unexpected interruption took place…

A shadowy form knelt before one of the windows for those seeking guidance from the priests who waited behind. The hour was late and Imhotep's priests were now in bed with their dreams, and so, he knew no one would be around to hear whomever it was, yet still they waited, their back to him. From head to toe, they were covered in a dark, hooded robe and though this person was concealed, Imhotep could still tell that beneath the flowing garbs, hid a woman by the accentuated curving at the hips.

Swallowing down the lump formed tightly in his throat, which threatened to make him choke, he stepped closer in complete silence. Somehow a part of him already knew who it was, for there was a familiar sensation drawing him to her. He feared and prayed for himself to be right and he found himself compelled to listen to the softly spoken words of the one he loved…

"_Lord Osiris… I come to you, forgotten until now to ask you why you have not taken me instead of her. My life has nothing; I am nothing. Everything dear to me I have lost. My parents abandoned me to this fate. I have no friends to call my own, you have claimed my sisters, all of Egypt is either jealous, afraid, or disgusted by the ground I walk upon, and… the one I love-" _She gave a sigh, shaking her head._ "No, it does not matter... I am through praying for something that will never be given. I accept that you and your kind have abandoned me… but I cannot accept… Why did you not take me!" _She stopped and let her face fall into her hands, her body shaking from the tears, before she again lifted her head and continued slowly with conviction owning her voice.

"_If you will not claim me… then I will do it myself…"_

A dagger was pulled from the confines of her blackened robes, glistening from the full moon above with an eerie foretelling of the death it would soon inflict. Imhotep's eyes widened and his breath caught over the seriousness of the act about to take place. He watched, as Anck-su-namun stood, lifting the dagger with two hands into the air. His body seemed to betray him, as his mind screamed for him to move, but everything happened before he could draw even a single breath. Anck-su-namun, with the dagger high above her head, plunged it deep into her stomach, her body doubling over and it was then that Imhotep's mobility returned.

"_Ny_!" he screamed, springing forth to catch her as she sunk to the cool floors of the temple. He carefully brought her to the ground and laid her head gently upon his thighs, hoping to make her comfortable. She looked up at him with a distant expression upon her face, pale, as blood soaked her robes and the ground beneath, her hands falling limply from the dagger's golden hilt. Slowly her eyes rolled and her head fell to one side, as she released her final breath.

"_Anck-su-namun_!" cried Imhotep, touching her cheek and shaking her in a panic, as though it would bring her back. He would not accept this. She could not be gone.

Tears found their way into his eyes and he choked them back unsuccessfully, while shaking his head at her lifeless form.

"_No… Anck-su-namun… Why? WHY_!" he screamed for all of Egypt to hear, before closing his eyes and bringing a hand to his face to cover it. He did not know what to do. Why had she done such a terrible thing, and all because of a child's death?

No- He knew why. It was all because of him, Seti. It had to be. He must have done something to her again and now more than ever Imhotep loathed, despised, and hated the pharaoh more passionately than anything else, or anyone ever could a human being.

"_Oh, Anck-su-namun…"_ he wept, wishing with all of his breaking heart that he had told her long ago that she was everything to him. But now… it was too late…

A thought suddenly entered Imhotep's mind, one that carried with it a message of hope, yet also the unthinkable. His head slowly came back up from his hand, as he pondered what he had just contrived. It was not too late. He could fix this, but it would mean defying the very gods he served. The Book of the Dead lay in its holy resting place in the City of the Dead. He would have to travel deep into the desert and carefully conceal the body, but doing such a thing would most likely incur Osiris' wrath…

Imhotep gulped at what he was considering. But… would the god really punish him? Yes, it was forbidden to bring back the dead once they had passed on, but after the years of torment she had endured and the countless prayers left unanswered by them both, didn't Osiris owe it to them? Didn't they deserve to know love? Imhotep found that when he searched deep within himself that the answer was "yes." The god of the dead was in their debt. He loved Anck-su-namun and he would be with her. He would give her a chance at life again and do his best to make every second of it worth it to her. This, he vowed.

Gripping the dagger, Imhotep pulled it from Anck-su-namun's stomach, wincing slightly at the sound it made when leaving her body. Blood covered the golden blade and dripped onto the ground, as Imhotep leaned down to kiss her forehead.

_"Now we are apart, but soon you shall be returned to me…"_ he whispered, as he lifted Anck-su-namun into his arms to lay her aside. He knew he could not leave the small pool of blood which she had left, nor the dagger for any to find come the sun's return.

And so, he quickly washed away the blood with water from a bucket left near one of the sacred pools and stored the dagger inside his robes, before retrieving Anck-su-namun and leaving for Hamunaptra.


	14. Chapter 13: Awakening

**Author's Note:** Meskhenet was the goddess of fate/destiny. As stated on this website : 

In addition to ensuring the safe delivery of a child from the womb, Meskhenet takes a decision on its destiny at the time of birth.

Please read and review! I hope you all like this chapter. I tried my best and I know it's what so many of you have waited for. :)

Jen

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Chapter Thirteen

"Awakening"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

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By twilight Imhotep had reached the city. He had ridden with Anck-su-namun's body in a chariot led by two horses through the desert. His body ached from the long and tiresome journey, but his mind had never been clearer. He was determined to go through with his plan. She did not deserve this death and Osiris would not have her as long as there was still breath within his body. 

Anck-su-namun was now laid out upon an altar deep inside the City of the Dead and Imhotep did not take his eyes away from her as he approached with the black book held open upon his palms, its weight being the farthest thing from his mind.

A new feeling was coursing through him at this very moment, one he had not experienced yet this past night: Fear. What if this incantation failed to bring her back? What would he do then? She could be lost to him forever. No one in the history of mankind had ever performed such a spell, no mortal at least, as his thoughts drifted toward Isis' resurrection of her slain husband, Osiris, the Lord of the Dead himself, but Imhotep could feel the power permeating from the obsidian pages of the book held before him. The gods were aware of his task and he truly believed that they were lending their blessings for the return of Anck-su-namun's soul to her body.

Slowly, he began to say the words, commanding Osiris to release her…

"_Koutah shi nu rabba. Oos veesloo. Ahm kum ra. Ahm kum day. Efday shokran. Efday shokran. Efday shokran amenophis_!"

The moment Imhotep finished with the incantation, a brilliant, golden light surrounded Anck-su-namun's body, causing him to want to shield his eyes, yet he could not look away and watched in amazement as life was magically restored.

Anck-su-namun's eyes flew open and her body jolted up, her lungs taking in their first new breath, as she escaped from death's embrace. Imhotep stumbled back a step from the altar, his eyes still wide with awe, as his mouth remained apart, fast breaths flowing in and out of it. Though he was now witness to a most awesome sight, a miracle, he could not believe what he had just done. To actually see for once the power of the gods working for him, for Anck-su-namun, was the most indescribable and incredible sensation he had ever experienced and he almost did not know what to do with himself, for it had truly worked... She was alive... He had succeeded in bringing her back from the dead.

Still processing this, his chest kept heaving up and down, his heart beating with a fierceness, probably much like that of Anck-su-namun's newly rejuvenated one. His body trembled and he finally set down the book, before leaning over her, immediately taking her hands into both of his.

Looking down into her confused and flittering eyes, which had been searching frantically all around for an explanation, he could not help but smile lovingly, however, Anck-su-namun jumped at his touch.

Taking a hand away from hers, he gently touched the side of her face and whispered, "_Anck-su-namun_…" as his hand floated over her face, never touching her. Softly he spoke again. "_Shh… Everything is alright now… I promise_."

At this, Anck-su-namun's dark eyes seemed to become smaller, as they contorted into an expression that showed she was trying to comprehend what was happening to her. She gazed at him a moment, then at the hand which held her own, looking as though she wanted to speak, but could not find the words, until finally, she forced herself to a sitting position, causing Imhotep to move out of the way.

Immediately, she opened the robe of which she still wore, searching for the spot where she so vividly remembered the dagger plunging deep into her stomach. Her fingers touched her skin, her pure, and unmarked skin...There was no wound... no blood, no sign that she had ever done anything.

Upon seeing this, Anck-su-namun's head jerked back to Imhotep and the look upon her face made it appear as though she wanted to cry, or was on the verge of becoming hysterical.

"_What_-" she began, but Imhotep quickly placed his finger over her lips, while resting his other hand upon her shoulder. Gently he squeezed and made small circles with his thumb over the fabric.

"_Hush_…" he said, looking in her eyes with a look of comfort, completely unable to conceal the happiness within his eyes. Anck-su-namun forced herself to calm, taking a slow breath, before lowering Imhotep's hand from her lips. She wanted to speak, but only looked at him in more confusion. She had so many questions. It was hard to find a place to start, but she went with the major one that plagued her mind.

"W_hy am I not dead_?" she asked.

Imhotep was slightly taken aback by her question. He had not thought of the moment when he would have to explain his reasons to her and there was not a single trace of a path to take in telling her. How was he to explain himself he wondered, tearing his eyes away from hers, and looking down, for fear of what she might think of him. He knew he had to tell her. This was not just something he could keep to himself. He owed it to her to give her an explanation as to why and how she was back, but would he lose her again when he did?

Gathering his courage and hope that she would not forsake him, while keeping a hand on her shoulder, he used the other to take one of her hands in his, as he tried to form the words within his mind. Anck-su-namun was not patient enough, however, and tossed him more questions about her situation.

"_My Lord… why am I here? Why am I… with you_?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice. She knew he was the keeper of the dead, but she had counted on actually being dead when he came to tend to her!

Imhotep forced himself to look at her. "_I… brought you back_…" he simply said.

Anck-su-namun's eyes flew wide once again, and she became pale like that of the corpse she had recently been. She had known that Imhotep had had powers, but to this degree… Resurrecting someone who was supposed to be dead frightened her out of her mind. Why had he done this! For a moment she looked at him in absolute shock, but found that she just could not hold back her tongue.

"_Have you lost your senses_!" she cried, pushing his hands away from her, "_Have you no idea what you have done! You may have condemned yourself! Have you not thought of the consequences_!"

Imhotep suddenly grasped both her shoulders and looked in her eyes, desperate to stop her from panicking. "_Enough! Anck-su-namun, it was not your destiny to die this night_," he said, trying to convince her everything was alright.

At this, Anck-su-namun was even more affirmed to believe that he had lost his mind. Surely they would be punished! A thousand terrible things were racing through her mind, but Imhotep did something, which quelled her thoughts.

Slowly, he lifted his hand into the air to gently pass it over her face. The intensity in his unblinking eyes was immense, yet it caused her great uneasiness. No man had ever looked at her in such a manner; it frightened her, her heart racing violently beneath her breast, pumping with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"_What are you doing_?" she asked, her body trembling from the gesture. Why was he doing all of this?

Imhotep, not wanting to frighten her further, ignored the question and stepped closer to her, tucking some of her long hair behind her ear, as he admired her. "_You truly are a beauty_..." he breathed, taking her all in. This succeeded in causing Anck-su-namun to blink and she held her breath for several moments before speaking.

"_My Lord? I am afraid I do not understand_…" she said.

Imhotep gave a slight chuckle, as though he were amused. "_Hush now, my princess Anck-su-namun. I have given you back your life_."

At this, she choked, tears welling up in her eyes. Was she really worth so much to him? "_But why? Why have you have risked everything, and all for my resurrection? …Imhotep, I­_-"

A finger was laid against her lips again and she shushed, looking up at Imhotep with her big, cinnamon eyes for answers to her questions. Imhotep sighed.

"_Your destiny is not in death_…" he said, lifting her hand to his chest, placing it open palm against where his heart beat beneath his breast. His fingers massaged hers, so gently that Anck-su-namun allowed her eyes to close at the pleasure it gave her to finally be touched by this man.

"_Then where does my destiny lie, Imhotep_?" she whispered, opening her eyes to look in his. He smirked and leaned in close, whispering in her ear.

"_In a place where I can worship the body of your soul for longer than an eternity_…"

Anck-su-namun shivered, feeling his hot breath on her neck as he spoke. She could hardly believe the words she was hearing. It was like a forbidden dream being played out before her, but what she felt next was more real than any dream.

Imhotep's lips brushed against her neck and he breathed softly upon her skin, sending chills down her being. Her eyes closed, as he moved his face before hers and softly brought his lips to hers. The kiss was powerful. The moment their lips connected the passion it ignited was indescribable. She grabbed him by the sides of his face and returned with an eagerness she had never experienced before. His hands gripped her shoulders, thumbs circling the flesh that was now exposed from the falling robe.

"_I love you, Anck-su-namun,_" he breathed, breaking the kiss and pulling back to look at her.

Anck-su-namun trembled, returning his gaze. The depth of the love she saw within his eyes was unbelievable. This man had done everything for her. He had given her life at possibly the cost of his very soul. How could anyone have such a love? How could _she_? Yes, she loved this man, but she was scared. Scared of what this love might bring upon them both.

"_Imhotep, what if someone sees_!" she exclaimed. "_I do not want to lose you, not when I have been kept from you for so long. But, how? How can we be together_?"

Imhotep searched her eyes for the longest time, before simply answering, "_To ask such a question… one should be asking the goddess Meskhenet herself. Anck-su-namun, some things are not meant to be explained, nor understood, like love. My love is real. Now and forever, I am yours, and I will protect you at any cost_."

Anck-su-namun took in his words, staring at him in amazement at his promise of devotion and safekeeping. It stole her very breath away and there was only one thing she could say in response to such a promise; the words slipping so easily from her lips:

"_I love you, Imhotep_," she whispered through tear-filled eyes, as he smiled in return, again brushing her hair behind her ear, as his own eyes shone with fresh tears.

"_We are one, Anck-su-namun. Till this day our souls have been torn and made as two different entities, but no longer shall we dwell in the emptiness of separation. We will be made whole again, on this day with the rising of the sun_…"

And, their mouths connected again, this time in a slow, lingering kiss, which gently grew in intensity, but never losing its tenderness. Anck-su-namun gave into her feelings completely, trusting every word Imhotep had said to her. This was truly meant to be. What other reason could there be for their love? They had been brought together; he had tempted fate to be with her, and won. Their love was beautiful, perfect and her hand came up to cup the side of his face, her thumb caressing his cheek.

Needing to feel her in his arms at last, Imhotep carefully wrapped his arms around her, his princess. Gently, he squeezed and held her against him, as their lips remained together in an impassioned dance. This woman stole his very breath, but was without question the sole reason his heart continued to beat and he could not control himself any longer. He would make her his and take her from Seti's vile grasp. And, in their time together, now, and in the future, he would make her forget all her sorrows, all her worries, and all the evils that she had been given.

Pushing the robes down her arms and letting them fall upon the altar behind Anck-su-namun, their kiss came to a stop, for Imhotep had caught sight of what was being worn beneath the robe: A sheer, low cut, black dress of which the front traveled down to just above her navel. Imhotep was stunned by the way the clothing hugged to her curves and he reached a trembling hand out to trace them at her sides. He was beyond eager to touch her, yet he wanted to savor every moment.

"_You are a goddess, Anck-su-namun… one that Seti not deserve to worship."_

These words brought tears to Anck-su-namun's eyes. It amazed her how this man could bring such emotion to her. She had thought herself to be dead inside long ago, but Imhotep had rekindled her heart, her hopes, and her dreams. He gave her back everything that was precious to have in life, everything that she had forgotten.

Bringing her hand up, she cupped the right side of his face, but found herself unable to find the words, but none were needed. He seemed to understand what lay behind her eyes and returned the gesture, sliding his hand up from her waist to touch her cheek.

"_My princess, Anck-su-namun…"_ he whispered, bringing his face in close. His nose nuzzled her cheek, before she felt warm, moist lips upon her neck. _"The time has come for you to be shown my love," _he added, lightly rubbing his nose now against her throat, before giving another kiss. _"You deserve to be cherished in ways even I cannot bestow, but I will give to you all I can. This I promise." _

Imhotep slid his strong hands to her back and held her against him. Anck-su-namun sighed happily and placed a finger beneath his chin, lifting his head up to look at her. _"Imhotep, you were ever the only one worthy enough to touch me. My body was meant to be your temple."_

Imhotep shook with emotion at these words. Slowly, she pulled back from him and reached behind her neck to untie her dress. The sheer, black material fell, reminding Imhotep of a flower's petals in bloom, as her body was revealed to him. He watched her in awe as she lay back upon the altar, dropping the dress to the sandy floor and giving him a coy smirk, motioning for him to come closer with her finger.

"_Oh, Anck-su-namun," _he breathed, taking in her naked form. _"I have ached for you,"_ he said, shirking his robe and letting it fall to the ground.

Stepping closer to her, he waved his hands slowly over her face and down her body. Though he never touched her, Anck-su-namun could feel him, as though some magical force were wafting off his hands. It stole her breath and her body wriggled slightly as his hands passed, her eyes closing. This caused Imhotep to smile, a rare feature to his face.

Carefully he stopped what he was doing and leaned over her, taking her lips with his. He kissed her softly, as she pulled him down to her, helping him onto the altar. After so long without having known his touch, she did not have much patience left to be apart from him. She needed him, so much she felt she would burst if he did not become one with her soon.

Imhotep was breath taken by how soft and inviting her skin was against his own. He continued to kiss her, ready to ravish her entire body. Though he had never been with a woman before, he felt confident that he would please her, for she was his soul mate. He felt he already knew her and that they had met many times before in previous existences. It was clear to him that she was meant for him and that they would forever be as one. Nothing could stop this.

Anck-su-namun wrapped her arms tightly around him, moaning softly, her breath coming swiftly. _"Imhotep!"_ she cried, as their kiss broke and he brought his lips to her neckline. He rocked his hips against hers, feeling constricted by his clothing. Anck-su-namun's head tilted back and she cradled his, as he continued to devour her with his lips.

Before she knew what was happening, a soft moan escaped from her, causing Imhotep to pull her hard against his body. She could feel his desire growing, as it gently poked her stomach, causing her to gasp. She had never known any man, but Seti and to actually feel desire so deeply during this act that was meant for love, it was new to her and she felt her nerves rising up inside herself.

Imhotep was breathing very heavily and she pushed his head lower until it was between her breasts. Releasing a breath, she held him there, feeling his hot breath billowing out onto her delicate skin. Her body trembled in his arms, causing Imhotep to smile, as he sent his tongue out to lick her flesh. She shivered and he felt his need for her grow again. She was amazing. Touching her was better than he had ever imagined it to be.

"_Imhotep…"_ she whispered to him, breathlessly, _"I want to be yours."_

"_As you wish, my princess,"_ he said, reaching down to remove his loincloth. His fingers fumbled with the material, as his nerves were taking their toll, but Anck-su-namun aided him in his task and in a few moments the cloth was stripped from his body.

Gently, he parted her long, golden legs and entered her, making love to her in a way she had never known, and in this moment they were not only one in body, but spirit. She could feel it, as could he. Their love was strong, consuming, and passionate, and Imhotep, as well as Anck-su-namun knew it would never die.

Time passed in Hamunaptra and Imhotep now lay behind Anck-su-namun upon the altar, both on their sides, as he lightly traced his fingers up and down her arm. Softly he kissed her shoulder and drew her close, having never felt closer to anyone as he did now, but something plagued his mind.

"_Tell me… Anck-su-namun… why did you wish to end your own life_?"

Anck-su-namun had nearly forgotten this event after being in the arms of Imhotep, which had seemed like nothing less than Heaven. Now that she was presented with this kind of questioning, however, she grew defensive.

"_I didn't just wish to. I succeeded_," she answered, plainly.

"_My love… I did not wish to cause you pain by asking… I merely wish to know_."

Anck-su-namun drew in a deep breath and collected her thoughts, before turning over to face him. Sadness and fear were embedded in her gaze and this caused Imhotep much worry. He lifted his hand to her cheek and brushed the backs of his fingers against it in a gesture of love.

"_I wanted to die. Seti… he_…" She paused and closed her eyes a moment, before continuing, Imhotep's touch soothing her and helping her to speak. "_I was the one who escorted his daughter, Layla, to the barley fields by the Nile. She fell ill shortly after. I had only wanted to show her a place that had made me happy as a child. My father would let my sisters and I play in those fields when we were young… I cannot think of a time I had felt more joy_."

Imhotep nodded to encourage her to go on. It delighted him to think of her as a child when times had been much happier for her, but was slightly hurt by her last comment.

"_The pharaoh wished for me to spend time with her, since we are to marry. He wishes for me to meet with all his children, but where I chose to take her_…" She stopped and shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "_Imhotep, it is my fault! If I hadn't taken her there, she would have never caught the plague and the pharaoh would not be blaming me for her death_!"

Rage transformed Imhotep's face after he heard this and he stopped with the touching of her face. "_He blames you? …Has he… hurt you_?" he demanded, keeping his voice even.

Anck-su-namun seemed to shrink back slightly, appearing nervous at this change in Imhotep. "_No… my servants were in the room. He would not show that side of himself so willingly in front of his loyal followers. He is a coward_!" she added with conviction.

Imhotep's tension seemed to wash away and he kissed her lightly upon the forehead. "_One day he will meet with a fate only he deserves, my princess… But, we must hurry back to Thebes I fear. They will be looking for us. If Seti finds that you have left the kingdom, he will kill every man until he finds you_."

"_But the journey back will take a while… Can we not spend a little more time together_?" she asked, coyly, dragging a finger down the front of his chest. Imhotep smirked.

"_Perhaps I can always tell the pharaoh that you wished to clear your conscience over the death of Layla by making a pilgrimage to the City of the Dead_."

It was Anck-su-namun's turn to smirk now. "_Dai yu_."

And with that, they were locked in another kiss, holding onto one another as though their lives depended on it.


	15. Chapter 14: Hindered Destiny

**Author's Note:** Alright! I watched the movies, both of them actually, over and over to piece together the dialogue from the first and second one for this chapter and get all the actions and everything right! (And might I add, it was quite annoying because of certain things! lol There were lines that were added and taken out in the same scene! I think they did it just to make things difficult for me! hehe I say it's just plain evil! I almost went insane! lol Naw, not really, I love the movies, so it wasn't terrible, I liked it, especially watching Imhotep over and over, but it was a little confusing at times to find out where to put it all!) Anyways, I hope that I got it as much as I could to fit and as accurate as possible because I know how it is when the lines are wrong and all! And I hope that I didn't leave out or mess anything up. Let's just say that now my tapes are worn down a lot more in those scenes. hehe Well enjoy and please review!

Jen

**Disclaimer:** I did not originally write this scene. It belongs to Stephen Sommers. I only did this for fun.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

"Hindered Destiny"

Seti's Palace

Thebes, Egypt

1290 BC

(Three months later…)

* * *

The halls of the palace were nearly bare as Anck-su-namun, still the betrothed of Pharaoh Seti I, made her way through with her uncanny grace, seeming to almost glide across the floors. Her presence was like that of a child's lifeless doll, floating by in the night with an ethereal beauty. The gold paint, which adorned her nearly naked body danced with the flames cascading off the torches aligning the walls as she passed. Her stare remained high, and empty, gazing straight ahead in a frozen mask, which seemed almost inhuman. Her cold looking eyes gave off a haunted stare as they seemed to drift past everything before and around her, as if she could not truly see it. 

Her bare feet pattered against the stone floor as she made her way deeper into the palace. The cloth that hung from her waist, the only piece of clothing, which Seti allowed her to wear so that he could so maliciously show her off, dangled between her legs.

Servants, guards, and palace dwellers bowed in pretend respect for their future queen and averted themselves as quickly as they could before she passed, for fear of accidentally brushing against her. One would think she was the bringer of death with how they reacted, but in a way, she was. Everyone knew that it was just best to stay away from Anck-su-namun.

* * *

As sunset neared, Imhotep, keeper of the dead, waited secretly inside Anck-su-namun's bedchamber. He had snuck in with the aid of his priests and now watched from the balcony as the Med-jai did their evening drills in preparation for any coming dangers. 

Imhotep smirked. Their lives, in his opinion, were wasted on the protection of their pharaoh. If they were ever to learn the vile truth about their king, they would surely send him to his death. Many a night since Imhotep had become the lover of Anck-su-namun, he had thought of this.

Now, as he looked on from above, he could see the pharaoh riding off in his golden chariot for the city gates, as he did every night. Seti took great joy in exercising his horses and thought himself to be quite skilled at riding in his chariot; however, Imhotep found him to be nothing, but conceited in his abilities and a little too showy for his tastes when among his people.

Hearing footsteps entering the room, Imhotep turned away from the scenery.

* * *

Walking into her room, Anck-su-namun knew he was waiting for her. He did every night during Seti's nightly ride. The pharaoh was an idiotic fool and blind to their love. There were no two people he trusted more completely. At times Anck-su-namun imagined what great pain it would bring him to catch them in their rendezvous, but she felt that it would never be enough for the agonies he had lashed upon her. 

But, he could never know. She knew it would be the end of both her and Imhotep if they were to ever be discovered, and she greatly feared that possibility.

Keeping her back straight, she sauntered past a row of golden statues. She could see Imhotep's priests from the corners of her eyes waiting amongst them, as they always did when the high priest came to see her. Imhotep had only told this small band of followers who were more loyal to him than to Seti. After all, it would seem less suspicious if they were near.

After she had passed, the painted priests hurried for the doors in order to close them…

Anck-su-namun brushed the curtain aside to find Imhotep waiting. She walked toward him silently and passed her hand over his face in their special gesture of love. His hands came up immediately after and did the same, before grasping her shoulders and kissing her mouth and his thumb massaging her, smearing her body paint…

* * *

Unknown to them, Princess Nefertiri had wandered out onto her balcony and seen the two's forbidden touch. When they kissed, she turned her head, anger seizing her face, but she found herself unable to turn away for long due to the shock and watched this treasonous act, hatred billowing up inside of her for Anck-su-namun. 

How could she do this to her father? Earlier that day in the throne room when they had fought to show off Nefertiri's skills, since she was to be the guardian of the bracelet of Anubis, she had seen the strange look, which had passed between her and Imhotep. It had been quite peculiar and arose her suspicions about the concubine and Imhotep even further.

And now, she had her proof. She had known that this woman had not loved her father, but to actually see Imhotep betray his king was enough to make Nefertiri's stomach churn. What ever did he see in her? How could a man, which she had greatly respected see in such a lowly whore?

Nefertiri heard voices below and saw her father returning. She looked back at the two who kissed on the balcony, half worried for Imhotep, but half hoping for them to be caught if only for Anck-su-namun's sake.

* * *

Seti marched through the palace, heading for Anck-su-namun's chambers. He had received a message from Osiris himself.The godhad appeared before him and told him he must make haste and return to the palace to see his beloved Anck-su-namun. Before he had been able to ask why the matter was so urgent, the god had vanished. 

Pushing open the doors, Seti stopped and looked in confusion at the priests who waited on the other side.

"_What are you doing here?"_ he asked, but there was no answer, all the priests did was keep their heads low and close the door, as he marched on for the curtains, flinging them out of his way and stepping through.

He found Anck-su-namun standing there, tapping the head belonging to a statue of Bast, as she looked down innocently with one hand behind her back.

For a moment Seti looked at her, but his eyes caught something, which greatly angered him greatly and Anck-su-namun's heart nearly stopped as the pharaoh pointed to her shoulder.

_"Who has touched you?"_ he demanded in anger. Anck-su-namun had not noticed Imhotep touching her anywhere except her lips, although she had been so entranced by his warm touch that she might not have been completely aware of anything else.

Behind the curtains, Imhotep's heart was racing. He was in a panic. How could he have been so stupid? He had gotten careless in a moment of passion with his lover. What was he going to do; this was not their destiny.

He watched as his love turned and looked at her shoulder. Her eyes widened with shock when she saw the smeared black paint upon her golden skin. She looked back up at the pharaoh, completely speechless. She couldn't breathe. Imhotep noticed this and saw the anger in Seti's eyes. He immediately rushed to her aid.

Seti's gaze averted from Anck-su-namun's shoulder to her eyes in which he saw that she was looking past him. He turned to follow her look and found Imhotep.

Driven with panic for his love and hatred for Seti, Imhotep grabbed the pharaoh's sword so that he would be unable to fight. Seti stared at him in disbelief, his eyes filled with betrayal.

* * *

Across the way on another balcony, Nefertiri had seen Imhotep grab the sword away from her father. Instantly her jaw dropped open in sheer terror for her father's life and quivered slightly as she drew in two quick, stuttering gasps, her eyes wide. Her head shot to the right and she shouted down to the guards standing watch below. 

"_Med-jai!"_

All heads turned up in her direction and she shouted again in desperation while pointing to her father's location, _"My father needs you!"_ She moved her head back to face the balcony, breathing heavily through her panic as she said it. All the guards rushed off to the palace entrance, weapons drawn.

Nefertiri only hoped that they would not be too late. She should have seen this coming. That snake that was to be her stepmother! She should have known! She had suspected their love, but never in her dreams had she imagined such a thing as this! She should have done away with Anck-su-namun herself, long ago. Now because of her hesitation, her father would could die.

* * *

"_Imhotep?"_ breathed the pharaoh as he looked at him. Imhotep only stared past him, but the Pharaoh did not notice this and continued to speak, _"My priest!"_ he said accusingly. 

Anck-su-namun stood behind him with a look of fear in her eyes. She could not lose Imhotep, not like this! Before the pharaoh could say another word, she raised a dagger with both her hands and brought it down into his back. Seti screamed in agony, his head throwing back.

* * *

Across the way Nefertiri nearly fell backwards, but kept her hold upon the balcony, gasping, her look turning to that of hysterics as her mouth hung open. Her mind went completely blank, all thoughts freezing. She did not know what to do. Her father was dying right before her, everything started to seem as if it was in slow motion as her mind could not fully handle all of it at once. She watched from her horrified and detached state as her father's right arm lifted and shot out to the side as he started to twist around through his pain. She did not know if he was screaming, she could only stare, all other sights and sounds were not accessible for her. 

Anck-su-namun could only stare at Imhotep with a look of love and worry as she held the blade in place. She looked like a lost child. Imhotep looked back at her with a look of, "We're in this together," and he raised his sword and swung it as he let out a loud growl, expressing his every hatred for his king. The blade sliced him straight across the stomach and chest, nearly decapitating him as the pharaoh let out one final blood-curdling cry.

* * *

"_NY!"_ screamed Nefertiri loud enough that all of Egypt could most likely hear, finally escaping her shock enough to speak. Instantly, her body gave way from the hysteria and she fell forward, wanting to rush to her father's aid, completely forgetting that she was on a balcony a few hundred feet up. 

Her stomach slammed into the bar and the forward direction in which she had tried to go was so strong that she toppled over the balcony and began to fall, still screaming as loudly as she could the very same word.

"_Nefertiri!"_ shouted Asim in terror, his voice nearly breaking from the strain as he saw his love topple over the edge. He bolted for the balcony at top speed and shot himself out to the ledge, falling over the balcony as well, and lashed out his hand to her just before she fell out of reach, grabbing her by the ankle.

Nefertiri's body jerked to a halt, her eyes wider than ever, terrified gasps escaping her. Her arms lay out to the sides, spread apart as if she were flying, flailing about along with her free leg. Her mouth just remained agape, her eyes growing wider and wider, in her blank, traumatized stare towards the ground far below as she let out little huffs of air.

Asim strained to keep a hold of her as he struggled to pull himself up to safety, cringing and growling from the weight. His legs kicked violently below him as Nefertiri just hung, nearly hyperventilating from the shock and near death experience. Her moving was causing them to sway and Asim strained even harder to get them under control, to steady them, but it seemed almost useless as Nefertiri let out terrified gasps.

* * *

A boom shook from the giant, golden doors ahead and Imhotep and Anck-su-namun popped up simultaneously, staring to them in horror, breathing rapidly, and still holding their instruments of death. A man's voice shouted through to them, causing Anck-su-namun to flinch as her heart skipped a beat in fear as the doors sounded once more in a calling of death. 

"_Open up at once!"_ commanded the voice, loud enough to overcome the sounds. The doors pounded again and again, echoing into the room, nearly consuming everything.

"_Pharaoh's bodyguards,"_ said Imhotep, stating what in they were both thinking.

Anck-su-namun spun around to look at Imhotep and in desperation she spoke, _"You must go! Save yourself!"_

"_No."_ he answered, unable to take his eyes from the doors. Their world was crumbling right before their eyes. Anck-su-namun spoke with more force, trying with all her heart to get him to go.

"_Only you can resurrect me!"_

Imhotep suddenly was able to turn away from the doors. He looked at her with his mouth open in fear. He couldn't lose her like this he thought.

Suddenly, the Med-jai burst open the heavy golden doors and marched in in a menacing formation, ready to fight for their pharaoh. Imhotep still looked at his love.

"_I won't leave you!"_ he cried, looking at her. In his eyes, Anck-su-namun could see his very soul. His priests ran up and grabbed him by the arms and began to try to pull him away. Imhotep struggled to get them off of him.

"_Get away from me!"_ he shouted. Anck-su-namun raised her hand and slowly waved it over his face in their secret sign that meant, "I love you." As she did this, they pulled him away from her and she had to use all her strength to keep from bursting into tears. She wanted to follow him. She felt as if her very heart was being ripped out of her chest as the priests pulled away her Imhotep.

"_Anck-su-namun! You shall live again!"_ he cried, never taking his eyes off of her.

"_Imhotep!"_ she cried back, nearly letting loose her tears.

"_I will resurrect you!"_ he promised, staring back at her still.

Imhotep's very words made her want to cry even more, her very soul felt as if it was dying. She could not live without him and he could not live without her.

He saw that she looked back at him with a look filled with mixed emotions: love, pain, agony, anger, fear, but yet an undying faith that he would bring her back as his priests pulled him away. Her breaths were heavy and her eyes held within them a longing to be with him once more and it tore at his heart.

Anck-su-namun quickly broke her gaze just as he was pulled out of sight and spun around, for she knew she would lose it if she looked at him any longer. It was time to face her destiny, the path that she had to take.

The Med-jai finally made their way up to her, but their gazes rested upon that of the pharaoh, who laid in a pool of blood upon the cold floor of the palace.

From behind the curtains on the balcony, Imhotep remained. He was unable to pull himself away. He wanted to stay with her as long as he possibly could. He would not abandon her now, even if she already thought that he was gone and would never know it. He knew that she would have never done what she was about to do with him watching, but he would not let her do it alone. He loved her too much.

Anck-su-namun stared back at them, she masked the emotions from her face and spoke.

"_Bem bi hy hut wayt eev hout!"_

Her words cut him like a knife and he felt as if he had been the one that had just been killed and not the pharaoh. All he could see was a shadowed outline of his "princess." He watched as she raised the very dagger that she had used to kill the pharaoh in desperation and bring it down with the sheer speed that resembled that of how fast their world had ended.

Imhotep had to close his eyes and turn away just as the blade touched her stomach; he flinched as he heard the sound of it tearing her flesh. His love was dead and though he was alive, he felt as if he had died with her.

After a moment he found the strength to open his eyes. He had made his love a promise, and he intended to keep it.

He suddenly noticed that his friend, Asim, was standing at the balcony just across from him, holding the hysterical Princess Nefertiri. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever. Imhotep looked at him with a look of sorrow and determination. Asim could only look back at him with an empty expression, for he knew what would happen to his friend, Imhotep.

The priests finally dragged Imhotep down from the balcony and they ran into the night. Asim knew where they were going and he knew that his friend would not rest until he resurrected his love, he had heard the whole thing, but he would let him escape, after all, Imhotep had long been his best friend. Asim secretly feared that he would be the one to carry out Imhotep's sentence when they did catch up with him. He stood there on the balcony, holding the woman that he loved more than life itself and he watched his friend fade out into the distance.

**

* * *

Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed this fic. I may add more if there's a request for it, but I don't really think I need to. I have the sequel started. I will post it soon. It will involve the O'Connells, Jonathan, and Ardeth, as well. It will take place after The Mummy Returns. So, please read it when I get it up! And review please! I love reviews. hehe 

Jen


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